A Message from the President
 Fall 2009
The topic of health care reform has occupied the headlines for much of the summer, bringing into sharp focus the many challenges that local, state and national health care agencies are facing. One thing is absolutely clear—change is coming, and we need creative strategies to not only survive but thrive in a health care environment that is changing more rapidly than at any time in the past 50 years.
The recently announced merger of Rhode Island Hospital and The Miriam Hospital is one strategy that I believe will ensure a strong future and stable work environment for our hospitals and communities.
The overarching goal of the merger is to ensure that, despite a difficult economy and challenging future, we will continue to have the resources and talent we need to sustain and grow strong programs and to provide the very best care to all who need it. By merging the two hospitals into a single entity on two campuses, we will be able to more strategically allocate our limited resources, making each hospital stronger for generations to come.
I am leading a process that will review many of the major clinical services on each campus, looking at opportunities for better collaboration, cooperation and, if indicated, consolidation. We have formed a clinical services review committee comprised of physicians from Rhode Island Hospital and The Miriam Hospital, as well as nursing, corporate and support staff. In addition, we have engaged Kurt Salmon Associates—a leading consulting firm with expertise in this area—to help guide and facilitate the review. There is absolutely no predetermined outcome to this process and all options will be explored and considered.
In addition to the work of the clinical services review committee, we also will be looking at capital and infrastructure requirements for each hospital. We will work diligently to keep everyone on both campuses well informed as to the progress of this initiative. As always, I welcome your input, thoughts and questions as we move forward.
One of the many reasons I came to Rhode Island Hospital and to Lifespan was that it is a progressive organization that honors the past while looking to the future. Rather than wait for the proverbial dust to settle on the health care debate, we are acting now, to the benefit of our hospitals, our employees and most importantly, our patients. To paraphrase an old proverb, “Often, the best way to plan for the future is to help create it.”
In the steadfast pursuit of excellence, I remain,
Sincerely yours,
Timothy J. Babineau, MD
President and Chief Executive Officer
Rhode Island Hospital & The Miriam Hospital
Back | More about Rhode Island Hospital |
