Dr. Timothy J. Babineau

How to sum up Dr. Timothy J. Babineau’s approach to leadership at Lifespan Corp.? If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again would be a good start.

The former cancer surgeon joined Rhode Island’s largest health system 13 years ago intent on merging with Care New England Health System. Despite several failed attempts, he was back at it in 2021. At the end of the year, the two health systems had an application before the state to create an integrated academic health system with Brown University that is expected to increase biomedical research and create jobs.

In 2019, however, it looked like the long-sought merger might never happen. CNE and a Boston-based health care system were then pursuing a merger.

Babineau responded by leading a public opposition campaign to the ultimately failed plan. He told PBN then that “decision-making needs to be in the state. Health care is local.”

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The push for an integrated health system is the most dramatic example of Babineau’s belief in the power of collaboration in health care to improve results for patients and providers.

Lifespan has created alliances with other hospitals in the region and began working much more closely with CNE during the COVID-19 pandemic. The latter also forced him to manage ongoing staffing shortages exacerbated by a state vaccine mandate for health care workers.

“If an employee chooses to get vaccinated [later], we will welcome them back,” he said after the mandate took effect. “I recognize the physical and emotional strain the pandemic has put on them.”