Dr. Adam Steinberg called it “extremely exciting to bring this care here.” The female pelvic medicine specialist and reconstructive surgeon, who also serves as president of the Hartford HealthCare Greater Manchester Region, was describing operations now performed at Manchester Memorial Hospital, which Hartford HealthCare acquired from Prospect Medical Holdings earlier this year, the Hartford Courant reported.
The hospital has completed more than 400 surgical procedures since the takeover, many of which previously required patients to travel elsewhere. Hartford HealthCare has also added more than 130 medical staff members and begun community outreach that has seen more than 500 patients in Manchester and Rockville.
Steinberg Says Practicing Physicians Shape Regional Care
Steinberg said his dual role as a practicing clinician and regional leader improves “quality of life” for patients and allows him “to be part of the region in a way that many cannot.” He described the past 11 months as “very exciting,” citing twice-weekly outreach in Manchester and Rockville where tents and vans are brought to meet people who need care. “We have taken care of patients who, because of their situation, have not had access to healthcare,” he said. “There is not a catch.”
Steinberg said trust drives patients to Manchester Memorial, calling it “one of the most important things,” and noted that emergency department admissions have risen this year, in some cases with people “coming in at a point when they need to stay at the hospital.” “I am incredibly passionate about my role, we are focused,” he said. “The importance of all this is providing the care.”
Technology and Services Expanding Through 2027
Hartford HealthCare has added 3D mammography for breast cancer detection and launched EnVisio seed technology this month for breast surgery that targets cancer tissue while avoiding healthy tissue. Robotic surgery for prostate cancer is expected to launch in early 2027, and expanded pain medicine services, including interventional radiology procedures, are expected next month, Steinberg said.
Jeffrey A. Flaks, president and chief executive officer of Hartford HealthCare, told the Courant that in less than a year the system has made “significant investments in our people, our facilities, advanced technology and expanded services.” He described the changes as “about reimagining what healthcare can and should be for this community, bringing the strength, innovation, expertise and affordability of Hartford HealthCare closer to home.”
Nurses Describe Shift From Prospect Medical Era
Victoria Magnano, a nurse in medical surgical oncology at Manchester Memorial, said it had been “really hard to give the patients what they needed” under previous owners Prospect Medical Holdings. “It was a very different time,” she said. “I was able to be here through the transition and see the whole energy change for the hospital.”
Magnano said she now feels supported, including with resources, and that the new ownership “really supported the colleagues that were here.” She said patients can “come to the hospital and get the care they need at a community hospital” and receive “good care while you are here.” She praised the street outreach team as “meeting the people where they are at,” including people experiencing homelessness, and said Hartford HealthCare has “really opened arms to the Manchester community.”
Matthew Green, a nurse manager who has worked at the hospital for 17 years, said resources became limited under Prospect but added, “For the first time in a long time, we’re not just maintaining what we have—we’re building for the future.” He pointed to the move to the Epic patient record system, which lets staff open one chart and see the whole picture while “working seamlessly with colleagues and providers across Hartford HealthCare instead of feeling like we’re working in separate systems.”
Trust Issues Arise After Bankruptcy Filing
Steinberg acknowledged that lack of trust built up under Prospect Medical Holdings, a California-based private equity company that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last January in the Northern District of Texas. State and federal officials have claimed the company maximized profits at the expense of patient care, and Prospect faced financial challenges including delayed payments for physicians and vendors, the Courant has reported.
When asked about complaints from some nurses that staffing has not kept up with new admissions, Steinberg said, “our priority is the highest level of care.”
Robotic Prostate Surgery and Pain Services Coming in 2026 and 2027
Steinberg said patients now get care closer to home rather than traveling far away. “When we go into a community we are all in,” he said. Flaks said, “I am incredibly proud of what our colleagues have accomplished together, and even more excited about what lies ahead,” adding, “We are building something exceptional that will strengthen the health and well-being of this community for generations to come.”
Hartford HealthCare operates more than 500 locations, according to the health system.
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