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Lifespan CEO calls for review of Partners, Care New England merger

The CEO of Lifespan Health System has called for more public discussion of the proposed merger between Boston-based Partners HealthCare and Providence, R.I.-based Care New England,, according to the Providence Journal.

The deal already has been partially cleared  by Massachusetts regulatory officials and is being reviewed by the Rhode Island Health Department  and the state's attorney general.

Timothy Babineau, MD, also president of Providence-based Lifespan Health, said he wants state officials and residents to pay closer attention to the potential effects of the merger.

"Our sense is people aren't paying attention to this, and we just want to raise awareness, make sure the state leaders just have a very thoughtful and thorough and deliberate review of this," said Dr. Babineau.

Ziya Gokaslan, MD, a Lifespan Health board member and neurosurgeon-in-chief at two Lifespan hospitals, said  that Partners' Boston area facilities would draw patients away from Lifespan and raise healthcare costs.

"I'm concerned it would have a whole spectrum of very negative implications for our patient care, on our academic programs, on our research programs, on biomedical innovation," said Dr. Gokaslan. "And of course, all the things these things bring here: a lot of jobs, excellence in patient care."

But leaders from Partners and Care New England argued that the merger will actually lower the cost of care.

“Managing healthcare costs is a major priority for us. We’ll work together to develop smart strategies to manage care utilization and reduce costs," Betsy Nabel, MD, president of Partners’ Brigham Health in Boston and James E. Fanale, MD, president and CEO of Care New England, told the Journal. "A stronger CNE is critical to Rhode Island’s healthcare economy, and Brigham Health would help solidify CNE’s financial footing. This acquisition will provide access to more resources in Rhode Island, including physicians, to complement the existing medical staff."

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