Satellite Emergency Facility FAQ

490 Main Street, Groton, MA

In the wake of the Nashoba Valley Medical Center closure, we recognized that many members of the community were concerned about the lack of nearby treatment options in urgent situations. We chose the Groton site in collaboration with local leaders and community stakeholders due to its central location within the region. By building a SEF, we are bringing emergency care back to the community. 

UMass Memorial's first choice was to purchase the former Nashoba Valley Medical Center site, but the health system couldn’t reach an agreement with the owner. 

There are no plans to develop the former site, but we are pleased to fill the gap of needed emergency services with the new facility in Groton.

UMass Memorial will follow all local and state regulatory and permitting processes. All planning board and conservation commission review processes will be public, and UMass Memorial would appreciate community support. We are targeting full regulatory approvals by fall 2025.

Yes. Abutters will be notified about project details.

UMass Memorial recognizes that this site is near homes and businesses. We are currently in the process of evaluating both noise and traffic impacts as part of our planning board submission.

Ayer Town Hall – 10 minutes
Devens Common – 16 minutes
Groton Town Hall – 3 minutes 
Harvard Town Hall – 18 minutes
Littleton Town Hall – 18 minutes 
Pepperell Town Hall – 6 minutes
Shirley Town Hall – 16 minutes
Townsend Town Hall – 11 minutes

Throughout this process, UMass Memorial has collaborated with the region’s fire/EMS chiefs. They are part of decision making and important to our work, and we will continue to work closely with them.

While staffing needs are still being developed, we do expect to hire for new clinical and nonclinical positions at the SEF. Of note, per Department of Public Health (DPH) guidelines, clinical staff working at the SEF will be required to rotate 25% of their working hours in an emergency department that is part of a hospital. 

We expect to obtain DPH licensure approval by late 2026. This approval is required in advance of opening.   

For questions or comments related to the land use process, please contact Takashi Tada, Land Use Director for the Town of Groton, at ttada@grotonma.gov or 978-448-1105. You are also encouraged to attend public meetings where you can ask questions and provide input directly.

SEFs, in contrast to emergency departments, are freestanding facilities that are not attached to a hospital or medical facility. The Groton SEF will be equipped to handle the same urgent health concerns as a hospital’s emergency department but will not have inpatient beds or a full hospital on-site. 

The process will be the same as any emergency room transfer when a higher level of care is needed. The SEF will arrange a transfer via ambulance or helicopter depending on the situation. UMass Memorial can offer a seamless transition of care among any of its facilities.

You can receive emergency care for a wide range of adult and pediatric issues, including injuries, serious illnesses and other urgent medical needs. The SEF will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and staffed with doctors, nurses, and equipment that you would find in an emergency department. If you need to be admitted to the hospital, the SEF will arrange a transfer via ambulance or helicopter depending on the situation. The SEF will also include emergency and observation beds and provide certain imaging services as part of emergency care. In the future, we will continue to assess the community’s needs and expand the facility’s offerings as appropriate.

We will continue to assess the community’s needs and expand the facility’s offerings as appropriate.

We will continue to assess the community’s needs and expand the facility’s offerings as appropriate. We will provide mental health-safe treatment rooms and will use our mental health emergency services partners to support care in this location. This is similar to the level of care we provide in the other UMass Memorial community emergency departments.

The SEF will have the same lab services as a traditional ED. These include urinalysis, chemistry profile, liver function tests, complete blood count (CBC), metabolic panels, rapid tests for strep throat and flu, etc. 

Imaging services will be available to emergency room patients when the SEF opens.

We will continue to assess the community’s needs and expand the facility’s offerings as appropriate.

We will continue to assess the community’s needs and expand the facility’s offerings as appropriate. UMass Memorial offers many primary care physicians accepting new patients throughout the region. Area residents can call 855-UMASS-MD (855-862-7763) for more information.

We will continue to assess the community’s needs and expand the facility’s offerings as appropriate.

The SEF will provide imaging and lab tests for patients in the emergency department. Outpatient testing will not be available at this location at this time.

The decision is based on EMS protocol.

We will follow existing billing processes in place for any transfer of care.

Members of the community can call the UMass Memorial call center at 855-UMASS-MD (855-862-7763) to learn more about our services or visit www.ummhealth.org.

This is an ongoing area of focus. We are working with local organizations, including the Montachusett Regional Transit Authority (MART), to support the communities’ needs.

Visit www.ummhealth.org/nashoba for updates.

UMass Memorial presented the SEF plans to the Groton Planning Board on May 8, 2025. In June, the health system will file formal construction plans with the Planning Board and Conservation Commission, and file an environmental notice form with the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act Office (MEPA). Subject to state regulatory approvals and receipt of building permits, construction is expected to begin in October 2025.

Yes. We will contact local town administrators to request they link to www.ummhealth.org/nashoba. We will continue to update that page with the latest information.