PROVIDENCE – Unionized caregivers at Women & Infants Hospital earlier this month gathered to demand that parent company Care New England Health System address concerns around patient safety, staff training and infrastructure.
Service Employees International Union 1199 New England, the union representing the employees, said in a statement that despite Care New England reporting a $40 million profit for 2024, “caregivers continue to raise major concerns” about staffing among labor and delivery, operating room and environmental services department personnel.
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Employees have also described infrastructure and sanitation hazards such as broken equipment, sewage leaks and water temperature issues, along with inadequate training as the hospital rolls out its new Epic electronic health system. The alleged training lapse “is increasing patient wait times and the risk of medical errors,” the union said.
“Frontline caregivers are the backbone of Women & Infants Hospital, providing highly specialized care to thousands of mothers and babies each year, facilitating approximately 80% of Rhode Island women’s births,” the statement continued. “It is time for Care New England to put the health and safety of mothers, infants and the dedicated workforce who cares for them first.”
In response, Care New England said the hospital’s priority is patient safety and well-being.
“Like all hospitals, we adjust staffing as needed based on patient volume and acuity to ensure resources match real-time care needs,” Doreen Scanlon Gavigan, senior manager of external communications for Care New England, said in an emailed statement to PBN Nov. 27. “The RI Department of Health reviews our staffing levels and consistently finds them to be both safe and compliant. Our facilities are regularly inspected, maintained, and updated in accordance with state and federal regulations to ensure a safe environment for patients, families, and staff.”
Scanlon Gavigan said the hospital transitioned to the Epic electronic health records system in October, adding, “At no time during the changeover has patient safety been compromised, and we continue to collaborate with all staff – including union members – to optimize the system, which will elevate the patient experience and make much of the work of our staff easier and more efficient.”
Scanlon Gavigan also said the hospital leadership team “is dedicated to supporting our teams while providing high-quality care to our community every day.”
The friction between the two sides follows last year’s ratification of a new contract with Care New England by more than 2,000 of the hospital’s caregivers, avoiding a potential strike.
Jacquelyn Voghel is a PBN staff writer. You may reach her at Voghel@PBN.com.
