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RIDOH Approves Affiliation Between Westerly Hospital and Yale-New Haven Health Services

The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) announced today the approval, with conditions, of the proposed affiliation between Westerly Hospital (LMW Healthcare) and Yale-New Haven Health Services Corporation.

"We looked very closely at the application and issued a decision with a series of patient- and community-focused conditions," said Director of Health Nicole Alexander-Scott, MD, MPH. "Our top priorities are ensuring that Rhode Islanders have access to high-quality health services and care in every zip code throughout the state and ensuring the health and sustainability of our state's healthcare system as a whole."

RIDOH accepted an affiliation application from the organizations on June 11, 2016. A public meeting about the affiliation was held in Westerly on August 2, 2016.

Some of the conditions of the decision include that the new hospital must:

  • Submit a plan for the delivery of primary care within an integrated healthcare delivery system for physical (including oral health) and behavioral health (including mental health and substance use) in the new hospital's service area;
  • Submit a plan to address the social and environmental factors within the new hospital's service area that affect people's health (for example, through coordination with RIDOH's Health Equity Zone initiative);
  • Ensure access to services for all patients without discrimination, including payment source or ability to pay;
  • Participate in interventions to improve the safety of opioid prescribing and expand medication-assisted treatment and services to address the overdose epidemic;
  • Submit a plan to RIDOH for the development of relationships with local tribal nations; and
  • Make the CurrentCare data available at all clinical sites.
In addition to this Hospital Conversion Act approval signed by Dr. Alexander-Scott, she also accepted the unanimous recommendation of the Health Services Council to approve the Change in Effective Control application submitted by the two organizations. The Health Services Council is a group that advises RIDOH on healthcare facility licensing reviews. For the affiliation to move forward, both the Hospital Conversion Act and Change in Effective Control applications needed approval (along with approval from the Rhode Island Attorney General).

Both the Hospital Conversion Act and Change in Effective Control decisions are available online.

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