PROVIDENCE — Care New England has announced it will maintain Memorial Hospital’s Family Care and Internal Medicine Centers in Pawtucket and move the institutions’ medical residencies, affiliated with The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, to Kent Hospital.
CNE reported Tuesday that it is collaborating with Governor Gina M. Raimondo’s office, Pawtucket Mayor Donald R. Grebien and Central Falls Mayor James A. Diossa to manage the changes as the hospital is closed.
“The Family Care and Internal Medicine Centers, delivering primary care to thousands of community residents, will continue to see patients in a similar fashion as they currently do. The ability for residents to have access to high-quality family care and internal medicine practices is crucial to meeting the health care needs of the community,” read a joint statement of the parties from Care New England.
The statement also says CNE will transfer Memorial’s medical residencies affiliated with The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University to Kent Hospital.
“This transfer will require approval by both the American College of Graduate Medical Education and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, as well as by The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. CNE is hopeful that it will be able to obtain these approvals. Physician practice-based training for these residencies would continue to be performed at office sites in Pawtucket and hospital-based training would be done at Kent Hospital and other hospitals in the region,” the statement said.
“As soon as Care New England announced it would be closing Pawtucket Memorial, I said clearly that no one should lose their job and Care New England could not just walk away from the property,” said Raimondo. “I am pleased that Care New England will continue to provide primary care services on the Memorial campus to ensure that Pawtucket residents still have access to the care and services they need. I look forward to working with their leadership team to identify a long-term use for the hospital building,” said Dr. James E. Fanale, CNE executive vice president, chief operating officer and chief clinical officer.
Care New England also noted the changes include a shift from volume-based to value-based reimbursement, ensuring patients receive the right care at the right time in the right place while reimbursing providers for the quality of care rather than the quantity.
“My first priority is to ensure that the people of our community, particularly our underserved community, have access to health services here in Pawtucket and the Blackstone Valley,” said Grebien. “We all recognize the significant challenges in the hospital services. I will continue to advocate that CNE provide for the essential needs in our community and be inclusive and transparent throughout the process.”
“Access to health services for all of our residents in the Blackstone Valley is of utmost importance,” said Diossa. “The Office of the Governor, the two cities, and CNE will continue to work together to find the best solutions for our community.”
Rob Borkowski is a PBN staff writer. Email him at Borkowski@PBN.com.
This story has been edited to clarify that while residencies affiliated with The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University will be based at Kent Hospital; their affiliation will remain.
