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Memorial, Brigham and Women's collaborate |
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Thursday, 29 October 2009 |
PAWTUCKET — If you're a patient of the Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island, your medical world just got bigger.
On Tuesday, it was announced that the Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island (MHRI) and the Brigham and Women's Hospital of Boston (BWH) have entered into a clinical affiliation.
The two hospitals are now involved in a collaborative relationship designed to increase the availability and accessibility of healthcare and improve the continuity, quality, and safety of care for residents of northern Rhode Island and southern Massachusetts.
The affiliation will focus initially on cardiology and emergency medicine services and include discussions about future collaboration at sites off of MHRI's main campus in Pawtucket, such as its ambulatory care center in Plainville, Mass.
“We believe there are numerous opportunities for Memorial Hospital and Bridgham and Women's Hospital to work together to offer patients outstanding quality care close to home,” said Francis R. Dietz, President and CEO of MHRI. “This affiliation will help enhance and expand the care options for patients in our area.”
Gary Gottlieb, MD and President of Brigham and Women's Hospital, commented, “BWH and MHRI share a common mission of providing outstanding patient care, leading innovative research initiatives and teaching the next generation of clinicians. We look forward to working with our colleagues at MHRI to deliver the best care possible to patients and their families in the area.”
As part of the new alliance, BWH cardiac experts will consult with Memorial Hospital on management of patient cases, participate in clinical programs where appropriate, and assist with the further development of Memorial's Cardiac Catheterization Lab to support an assortment of procedures and studies. The affiliation also provides for a smooth patient transition to BWH in Boston for cardiac care if needed.
In the area of emergency medicine services, BWH is assisting Memorial Hospital in its recruitment of a new chief of emergency medicine. Together, the two hospitals will develop plans to improve the operational efficiency of Memorial's Emergency Medicine Department and identify targeted patient care areas for quality-based collaboration.
Dietz noted the increased number of mergers between hospitals in Massachusetts and Rhode Island that have occurred over the past decade, but said that Memorial Hospital wants to remain independent. He said that hospital officials had been looking for a partner that also didn't want to merge, and the relationship with Brigham and Women's Hospital fits both facilities' current needs.
Dietz said that there is not really an extra cost associated with the collaboration. He said that Memorial Hospital had been intending to upgrade its 10-year-old Cardiac Catheterization Lab anyway and had budgeted $1.5 million for this purpose. Now, the lab will get the added benefit of having cardiac specialists from Brigham and Women's Hospital involved in the project.
Andrew Artenstein, MD, who is Medical Director of MHRI, said that from a patient's perspective, the clinical affiliation offers “the best of all possible worlds.” “It opens up avenues for seamless medical care, and should the situation warrant it, a transition to higher-level care.” He pointed out that Brigham and Women's Hospital is recognized as one of the international leaders in medical care, and because it is just 45 minutes away from the Memorial Hospital, increases the opportunities for a collaboration with doctors on consultations, programs and medical services.
Dietz also noted that, for patients already in the “Memorial family,” the collaboration provides “an additional layer of care.” He noted that Memorial Hospital already has board-eligible emergency room doctors and operates a high quality emergency care department. “This affiliation with Brigham and Women's Hospital will increase other levels of serviceability that we couldn't do on our own. It elevates us to a different level,” he stated.
Dietz said that under the collaboration, some physicians will be shared between the two hospitals. He added that the Memorial Hospital also plans to hire a new director of the cardiology division as it embarks on the new program.
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 12 November 2009 )
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