hospitals

More Layoffs As Lifespan Tries to Trim $150M

Kristin Gourlay — Wed, 22 May 2013 18:32:36 +0000

The state’s largest hospital network is making another attempt to trim nearly $150 million in expenses over the next two and a half years. Lifespan has announced another round of layoffs.

New Hospital Price Data Helps, But What About Quality?

Kristin Gourlay — Thu, 09 May 2013 18:08:29 +0000

You may have heard news yesterday that the federal government has released a greater level of detail on the prices hospitals charge for a list of common procedures and how widely those prices vary - not only from state to state but within states, and even within the same city. The data comes from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (or CMS), from 3000 hospitals nationwide.

Westerly Hospital Lays off 45 Ahead of Sale to L&M

Kristin Gourlay — Wed, 01 May 2013 15:27:41 +0000

Westerly Hospital will lay off 45 employees, just before its sale to Lawrence & Memorial Hospital in New London, CT is completed.

Westerly’s new owners struck deals with hospital unions early on during acquisition talks. They agreed to keep most clinical positions. The 45 lay-offs don’t conflict with those commitments.

15 of the employees losing their jobs are unionized support staff. The rest are mainly from Westerly’s business office. Those functions will be consolidated at L&M’s headquarters in Connecticut.

State Officials Sign Off on Westerly Hospital Sale

Kristin Gourlay — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 19:39:56 +0000

Rhode Island regulators have given their final approval for the sale of Westerly Hospital to the New London-based Lawrence & Memorial Hospital.

The head of Rhode Island’s Department of Health and the state's Attorney General have signed off on the deal to sell Westerly to L&M. Now, the deal is expected to close June first. Westerly Hospital has been in receivership since 2011 and under the leadership of a special master. L&M spokesman Michael O’Farrell says the special master will stay on through the closing date.

Nursing Residency Program Launches for Unemployed Nurses

Dave Fallon and Kristin Gourlay and John Bender — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 21:13:34 +0000

A new program has launched to help place new and unemployed nurses in health care facilities statewide for up to nine-month-long paid residencies. It's expected to start with 20 nurses and expand to 40 by the second year, with the first placements beginning this fall.

Debrief: Can We Afford Fewer Hospital Beds?

Kristin Gourlay and Elisabeth Harrison — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 10:00:00 +0000

How many hospital beds does Rhode Island really need?

That’s one question being considered in a new report from a state health care planning council. It comes at a time when a number of hospitals in the state are either up for sale, looking at new partnerships or struggling financially.

Rhode Island Public Radio’s health care reporter Kristin Gourlay joined Elisabeth Harrison in the studio to talk about the health of the state’s hospitals and some of the surprising findings from this report.

Study: Rhode Island Has Too Many Hospital Beds

Kristin Gourlay — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 19:46:30 +0000

Rhode Island could do with the equivalent of one fewer hospital. That’s the conclusion of a draft report meant to guide the state’s health care planning.

Lifespan Facing "Significant" Budget Shortfall

Kristin Gourlay — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 16:34:59 +0000

The state’s largest hospital system is facing some unanticipated budget shortfalls. Lifespan isn’t saying yet whether the fix will include layoffs.

Lifespan released a statement saying it had asked employees and physicians to review their budgets and look for ways to trim expenses. No word yet on what immediate steps the organization might take to stem the financial losses - but Lifespan says they won’t compromise patient care and that they’ll "work hard to minimize the impact on...employees."

Fatima, Roger Williams Ink Deal with For-Profit Firm

Kristin Gourlay — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 17:31:12 +0000

CharterCARE, the umbrella organization for Our Lady of Fatima and Roger Williams hospitals, has announced its intent to partner with Prospect Medical Holdings, a for-profit health care firm based in California. The deal is in its infancy. But it's the fourth proposed hospital merger/acquisition under Rhode Islands Hospital Conversions Act. And it's yet another sign of the shaky financial ground on which many of the state's hospitals now find themselves.

Is Your Hospital Safe?

Kristin Gourlay — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 17:00:00 +0000

Here's a new online tool to help you decide: www.hospitalinspections.org.