PROVIDENCE — Partners HealthCare, Care New England Health System and Brown University have signed a memorandum of understanding formalizing their collaboration through a clinical, medical education and biomedical research affiliation following the planned merger of the two health systems.
Care New England Health System and Partners HealthCare of Massachusetts signed a definitive agreement to merge, moving ahead in the process for the Massachusetts company to acquire CNE, in May. The memorandum establishes Brown’s Warren Alpert Medical School as the primary academic research and teaching institution of record for Partners-CNE in Rhode Island.
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Learn More“This agreement sets us on a clear path for achieving Brown’s goals of a partnership that will enhance the quality of clinical care, generate biomedical research that improves population health and fuel economic development in Rhode Island,” Brown President Christina Paxson said.
Brown has a longtime academic medical affiliation with CNE, which is home to Brown’s programs in obstetrics and gynecology and neonatology at Women & Infants Hospital; in psychiatry at Butler Hospital; and in family medicine at Kent Hospital.
“Today’s announcement represents an important step in this collaborative effort between our institutions and our collective commitment to strengthening the health care landscape in Rhode Island and for the advancement of academic training,” said Care New England President and CEO Dr. James E. Fanale. “This signifies tremendous opportunity for research, the economy, and most importantly, for those who rely on us for the best possible care.”
The Partners-CNE-Brown memorandum outlines a framework for a Rhode-Island based academic medical center that will drive new innovation, with the Partners affiliation helping to further position the health system to compete for research grants at a national level. The document also adds Paxson to the CNE board of directors. The dean of the Warren Alpert Medical School would sit on any academic and research subcommittees of that board.
The shared governance supports Partners, CNE and Brown’s shared commitment to helping ensure that high-quality, affordable care remains available through the CNE institutions for the people of Rhode Island, CNE said in a statement about the memorandum.
“The addition of Brown University will strengthen an already robust Rhode Island health care ecosystem and provide opportunities for new investments in patient care, research and health care innovation,” said Dr. Betsy Nabel, president of Brigham Health, on behalf of Partners.
“We remain cautiously optimistic about a potential partnership between Partners HealthCare and Care New England Health System and recognize the important role that Brown University would play in the event that merger were to move forward,” said United Nurses and Allied Professionals spokesman Ray Sullivan.
“Our priority is to strengthen support and resources for front line caregivers and protect Rhode Island jobs and services for our members and our patients. We look forward to participating in conversations with leaders from Partners and Care New England at the appropriate time,” he said
Objectives of the new partnership include maintaining and enhancing the quality of medical education for medical students at existing and future CNE clinical facilities; evaluating ways to strengthen the relationship between CNE physicians and physicians in Brown-affiliated faculty practice groups; exploring the potential for a new medical research institute in Providence and shared governance to support the goals of the partnership.
After signing the definitive agreement, Partners and CNE will continue discussions with Lifespan, CNE stated. Partners and CNE invited Lifespan Corp. to the affiliation conversations earlier this year. Brown also has a longstanding affiliation with Lifespan.
Rob Borkowski is a PBN staff writer. Email him at Borkowski@PBN.com.