Lifespan
The announcement last week by Lifespan and Care New England that they had abandoned their merger effort was certainly not a surprise. It had been reported in this newspaper for several weeks that the process had been put on hold, and that the union of the two was questionable. We were concerned, along with others, that the merger posed a threat to competition within the market, wondered what impact it might have on quality of care, and were dubious when it came to the financial situations of the institutions, particularly Lifespan.
Skepticism aside, we are left with mixed reactions. We’re glad that competition survives, and that the marketplace will still have a role in dictating costs and quality of care within Rhode Island’s medical community. We’re saddened, however, that this also reflects another failure of the Hospital Conversions Act that was adopted by the General Assembly a couple of years ago.
Beyond Cash Donations: How New Forms of Giving Are Transforming Not-for-Profit Accounting
Evolving Funding Landscape for Not-for-Profits Not-for-profit organizations are being asked to do more with less,…
Learn More
The failure is not so much in the outcome, but in the length of the time for the review, the costs to everyone from Lifespan and Care New England to the state, and the reality that nothing positive developed.
Health care in Rhode Island remains in the same disarray that it was before the process began. We have duplicative services at hospitals, empty beds, rising health care insurance rates, recognition that managed care no longer is controlling costs, a hospitals’ act that is preventing certain transactions, and few positive solutions.
It’s almost like reading an intriguing novel, but never reaching the final chapter, except in this case we’re not dealing with fiction.
As we put an end to the Lifespan/Care New England saga, we again believe that Governor Lincoln Almond and his administration need to show leadership by developing some solutions that will bring health care costs under control, while assuring quality care for all Rhode Islanders.
Real issues
There are several references within this issue as to the importance of addressing real issues in the weeks leading up to the general election on Tuesday, Nov. 7. We can not stress enough the importance of avoiding a “silly season” of negative ads and character assassinations. There is too much at stake, including two issues that have a direct and profound impact on your business.
First, we hope that all candidates running for elected office will address the matter of rising energy costs as we move so quickly toward winter.
Sen. John Celona, a North Providence Democrat who is unopposed in the general election, has gotten off on the right foot by calling for an “Emergency Energy Summit.”
Celona’s concern is that rising fuel costs, coupled with a cold winter, could damage the bottom lines of small businesses already running on the tightest of margins. And Celona isn’t hearing a lot of talk about the potential crisis.
“No one is talking about this,” he said. “This is the issue that is not only going to impact children and seniors, but business ownersIf nothing is done, this winter will be devastating to our citizens – and our economy.”
We believe Celona’s concerns are justified. Besides oil, gas and natural gas prices rising, economists expect electricity costs to rise by about 14 percent come winter. That is an issue worth discussing.
Another issue critical to the business community is education – and training and re-training programs. When 100 Rhode Island business leaders visited Washington, D.C. last week, they heard from U.S. Sen. John Kerry, D-Massachusetts. His message was this: Business leaders – whether they are Republican or Democrat – must commit to raising the standards of American workers through education.
“None of us can afford to abandon our responsibility of citizenship,” said Kerry. “You are voices of influence. In every way you can, use that influenceeveryone has a responsibility to make our schools better.”
