The merger Dr. Timothy J. Babineau expected 11 years ago didn’t happen. Can Lifespan’s CEO find the health system’s missing pieces?
Every week, PBN Editor Mark S. Murphy appears on WJAR-TV NBC 10’s Coffee Break to discuss the newspaper’s most recent cover story and other issues.
This week Murphy and NBC 10 News Sunrise Anchor Alison Bologna talk about staff writer Elizabeth Graham’s cover package on the health care landscape in to stories titled, “Babineau: ‘Health care is local’ ” and “Hospital affiliations boost business and care.”
Let’s state the obvious…. No matter how they spin it, Lifespan does not want to see a CNE-Partners merger because they do not want the competition. This country is based on competition and competition is great for the consumer. Why would the State of R.I. ever want to see a Lifespan-CNE merger that would practically be a monopoly in the State? Remember… Competition good… Monopoly bad.
And along those same lines, why didn’t Lifespan raise the red flag (anti-merger websites, media blitz) when Prospect Medical Holdings (based in California (talk about out of State)) came in and purchased hospitals based in RI (Roger Williams, Fatima, St Joe’s)? Or when Prime Healthcare (also based in California) purchased Landmark in Woonsocket? As well as when Yale New-Haven, CT purchased Westerly hospital and had talks with South County Hospital?
I’d suggest Lifespan spend their resources away from marketing and instead on patient care. Stop trying to pretend to be chicken little with the sky falling. Don’t worry, Rhode Island will be in a better place with the CNE-Partners merger. 😊