Care New England & Southcoast Health Move Closer to Affiliation
Wednesday, May 04, 2016
Southcoast Health and Care New England have voted to move forward with the proposed affiliation of the two hospital and healthcare systems. The announcement was made on Tuesday by Charles Reppucci, Board Chair for Care New England and Jean MacCormack, Board Chair for Southcoast Health. Unions raise issues about the merger.
“This affiliation helps to build an even stronger future for our organizations while importantly maintaining our steadfast commitment to our local communities. We look forward to continuing this collaborative and transparent process, sharing additional details about our vision for healthcare delivery as plans are developed and as we begin the regulatory process,” said MacCormack.
The Proposal
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTUnder this new framework, Care New England and Southcoast Health would be combined under a new system parent entity that will be named after a brand assessment. The combined system will uphold Care New England's and Southcoast Health's tradition of providing community aced healthcare to all patients.
Southcoast Health President and CEO Keith Hovan will serve as the President and CEO of the new system parent company, while Care New England CEO Dennis Keefe will become CEO of the Population Health initiative for the system.
Care New England's board will select the new Chair of the system parent board, while Southcoast Health Board Vice Chair will serve as its Vice Chair.
Southcoast Health and Care New England will each select 10 individuals in all to serve on the new system parent Board of Trustees.
“We know nothing is more important to the people of southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island than a strong future for the healthcare systems that safeguard their health while providing jobs and community benefits, and advancing our teaching and research missions,” said Reppucci.
The two Chairs state that Southcoast Health and Care New England have worked toward this agreement to affiliate since they announced their intent to study partnership potentials last November.
The parties will move toward the execution of the affiliation agreement and subsequent initiation of the required regulatory review processes in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
United Nurses & Allied Professionals Respond
The United Nurses and Allied Professionals General Counsel Chris Callaci released a statement following the announcement of the Care New England and Southcoast Medical affiliation proposal.
"Given that an affiliation agreement between Southcoast and Care New England would reportedly 'broaden the array of patient services' and install new leadership at the top of the parent company for Memorial Hospital, we urge existing CNE executives to cease any and all efforts to eliminate or scale back primary care services in Pawtucket. Furthermore, we would ask the Department of Health to put on hold any attempts by Care New England to restructure Memorial Hospital, given the potential affiliation.
Our union welcomes the opportunity to begin thoughtful and productive conversations with Southcoast management in hopes that we may work together to save a critical institution that has provided quality care to Pawtucket and the Blackstone Valley for more than a century."
Care New England
Care New England was founded in 1996, and is the parent organization of Butler Hospital, Kent Hospital, Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island, Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, the VNA of Care New England, The Providence Center, CNE Wellness Center and Integra, a certified ACO created in collaboration with the Rhode Island Primary Care Physicians Corporation.
Southcoast Health
Southcoast Health is a community-based, health delivery system with multiple access points, offering an integrated continuum of health services throughout Southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island. It includes the three hospitals that make up Southcoast Hospitals Group — Charlton Memorial Hospital in Fall River, St. Luke's Hospital in New Bedford and Tobey Hospital in Wareham; and Southcoast Behavioral Health in Dartmouth, a joint venture hospital with Acadia Healthcare, an international leader in psychiatric and addiction care.
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