Lifespan To Join Merger Talks With Care New England, Partners

EAST GREENWICH, RI — Care New England, which runs Women and Infants, Butler and Kent County hospitals, and Boston-based Partners, which owns Brigham and Women's, have been in exclusive merger talks for several months. But Tuesday, a third potential partner came into the picture, when Lifespan, which owns Rhode Island Hospital and Miriam Hospital, was invited to join the merger talks.

Spokesmen Jim Beardsworth, Care New England, David Levesque, Lifespan, Dinah Vaprin, Brigham and Women’s and Rich Copp, Partners HealthCare, made the joint announcement.

"Care New England and Partners HealthCare have approached Lifespan and will begin formal discussions to explore how all three health care providers might work together to strengthen patient care delivery in Rhode Island," they said. "By combining the talent, experience and resources of our like-minded, provider-based organizations, we envision creating a national model that fully leverages the integration and coordination of care. In doing so, we are better equipped to meet market challenges and mandates to improve outcomes while reducing health care costs."

Patch asked Beardsworth if this switch means the exclusive arrangement between Partners and Care New England was dead.

"No," he said, "both processes can move forward in parallel paths. As that process has evolved, it became clear that including Lifespan offered the potential to best utilize Rhode Island-based health care resources to best serve the needs of patients and the community.”

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