Catholic system pulls out of hospital merger in Connecticut [Video]

PUTNAM, Conn. — A Catholic-run healthcare system has withdrawn its application to affiliate with Day Kimball Healthcare, an independent, financially struggling hospital and healthcare system in northeastern Connecticut.

Covenant Health’s decision to terminate its agreement with Day Kimball in Putnam comes weeks before the state’s Office of Health Strategy held a public hearing on the planned merger.

“As part of our due diligence as we prepared for the public hearing, we became aware of new and updated information that resulted in our decision to not move forward,” said Karen R. Sullivan, vice president of marketing and chief communications officer for Massachusetts-based Covenant Health.

The proposed merger had raised concerns among residents and Attorney General William Tong about the fate of reproductive health and other services in …