According to the Eagle-Tribune and the Boston Herald, Steward Medical Holdings  – a subsidiary of the Cerberus Capital Management L.P. – has filed an application with the Commonwealth for permission to purchase Merrimack Valley Hospital in Haverhill and Nashoba Valley Medical Center in Ayer. This firm recently purchased the Caritas Christi Hospital chain that includes  Caritas Holy Family Hospital in Methuen. Both  hospitals are currently owned by Essent Healthcare of Tennessee.

From the Eagle Tribune:

For months, Haverhill officials have said they were aware a sale was being considered.

Mayor James Fiorentini has said the city will protect its interests, in terms of insisting the hospital continue to be run as a community hospital offering the same emergency room and other services it does now.

City leaders have said it is important that Haverhill have a hospital so residents can receive emergency and other care locally…

Caritas Christi officials have said they believe in running community hospitals which allow residents to receive care close to home, rather than having to travel to a hospital in Boston.

Read the Eagle-Tribune article here and the Herald article here.