At the South Shore Development Summit hosted by the South Shore Chamber of Commerce, healthcare and economic development leaders made a compelling case: the South Shore is primed to become a major center for medical innovation — but getting there will take infrastructure upgrades, workforce development, and unified leadership.
“We want to make the South Shore the healthcare capital of Massachusetts,” said Tim Cahill, President and CEO of the South Shore Chamber. “And the only way we do that is by bringing people together who are already doing the work.”
Cahill opened the event at Leo’s Events and Restaurant in Braintree, highlighting the region’s unique mix of healthcare organizations, real estate opportunity, and community investment. The summit featured insights from Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital–Plymouth COO Erin Yale, Boston Scientific veteran Ed Mackey, and architect George Berg of Raymond Design Associates. Former MassBio CEO and current JLL Managing Director Robert Coughlin moderated the discussion.
“Healthcare is not just a public service,” said Coughlin. “It helps sick people and it saved my kid’s life — but it’s also a growth strategy for the South Shore.”
Ed Mackey, a longtime executive at Boston Scientific, explained why the company kept and invested in its Quincy facility. “We turned it into a customer fulfillment center… a physician training center… and an innovation hub,” he said, noting its access to Logan Airport, nearby medical institutions, and public transportation. “We couldn’t get all that anywhere else.”
George Berg, chair of the Weymouth Chamber of Commerce, said his town is embracing its identity as a regional healthcare anchor. “We quickly realized that Weymouth is really a hub for major world-class medical institutions,” he said, referencing South Shore Health, Dana-Farber, and Boston Children’s. Through the Weymouth Chamber, Berg has launched a new initiative called “Medical WEY” to promote the town’s growing healthcare footprint.
In Plymouth, Erin Yale is overseeing a $100 million expansion at Beth Israel Deaconess–Plymouth. “Our emergency room was built in 1993 for 25,000 visits. Last year, we saw over 47,000,” Yale said. The hospital will double the size of its emergency department and expand behavioral health and cancer care offerings. A new cancer center, opening in 2027 at Cordage Park, will grow from 12 to 17 exam rooms and increase infusion capacity by more than 60%.
Yale said the move will strengthen ties with Dana-Farber and BIDMC, giving local patients broader access to clinical trials and specialists. “Our hope is that 70 to 80 percent of the appointments that the patients need can happen in the South Shore,” she said.
But growth also brings growing pains. Panelists raised concerns about workforce shortages, housing affordability, and aging infrastructure.
“There are not enough people going into the fields,” Yale said. “And the people who are there have been staying for a long time.” She called for new housing options and reliable transportation, including restoring commuter rail service to Plymouth.
Mackey and Berg echoed the need for stronger infrastructure planning, especially around utilities and permitting. “Don’t underestimate or overestimate the level of sophistication you’re dealing with on local boards,” Berg advised developers. “Get into the town administrations early.”
Coughlin suggested forming a working group to map available real estate and promote the region as a healthcare destination. “Let’s create an inventory of sites across the South Shore that are ready for medical office or life science use,” he said.
As the summit closed, speakers offered reasons for optimism.
“We have an innovation hub here,” Mackey said. “Let’s leverage it.”
“We already have the foundation — and leaders who understand what it takes to get things done,” Berg added.
For Yale, the biggest asset is the people. “They’re resilient, they’re brilliant, and they really care about their work,” she said. “That’s the foundation of everything we want to build.”