The Lifespan healthcare system in Rhode Island says it has been approached by Care New England (CNE) and Partners HealthCare to “explore how all three healthcare providers might work together to strengthen patient care delivery in Rhode Island.”
Rhode Island-based Care New England and Partners announced in January that they had entered into a “definitive agreement” to have CNE become part of Partners. The parts of CNE covered under the definitive agreement are: Kent Hospital in Warwick; Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island in Providence; the VNA of Care New England, based in Warwick; Butler Hospital in Providence; and The Providence Center (mental health and addiction treatment services) in several Rhode Island locations. Lifespan consists of Rhode Island Hospital, Hasbro Children's Hospital, and The Miriam Hospital, all located in Providence; Newport Hospital in Newport; Bradley Hospital in Riverside, and Gateway Healthcare in Pawtucket.
If the entities can reach agreement among themselves, they would then need state and federal approval for the merger.