CNE, Southcoast Health exploring affiliation

PROVIDENCE – Care New England Health System and Southcoast Health System Inc. will explore a potential affiliation to create a new nonprofit parent organization overseeing both systems.

The partnership would create one of New England’s largest nonprofit, community-based health care systems, according to a news release from the two organizations.

Care New England, parent organization of Butler Hospital, Kent Hospital, Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island and Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, said its board and senior leaders unanimously chose Southcoast, which also operates four hospitals, from among four proposals.

The two organizations each have signed a letter of intent to start discussions about forming the new parent organization, according to the joint announcement.

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In a telephone interview, Dennis D. Keefe, president and CEO of Care New England, said if everything goes well, the two organizations could be operating as one as early as six months from now.

Keefe does expect employment to be significantly affected.

Southcoast currently has 7,236 employees, and CNE has 8,637 employees.

Total revenue for the combined system is estimated at more than $2 billion, Keefe said. •

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