Mission
Assure the viability of a safe, accessible and affordable healthcare system that is available to all of the citizens of the state.
Hospital Merger / Conversion Review Process
Proposals Subject to Review
Since 1997, transfers of 20% or more of ownership, assets, membership interest, authority or control of a hospital in Rhode Island require approval by both the Department of Health and the Rhode Island Department of the Attorney General (RIAG) under the authority of the Hospital Conversions Act (HCA). MORE
Review Criteria
The Department of Health reviews completed application in consideration of nine statutory criteria:
- Satisfactory character, commitment, competence, and standing in the community;
- Sufficient safeguards to assure the affected community continued access to affordable care;
- Clear and convincing* evidence to provide health care and access for traditionally underserved populations in the affected community;
- Procedures or safeguards to insure that ownership interests will not be used as incentives for hospital employees or physicians to refer patients to the hospital;
- Commitment to assure the continuation of collective bargaining rights and workplace retention;
- Estimated future employment needs under the conversion, and retraining of employees who may be impacted by the proposed restructuring;
- Demonstration that public interest will be served, including access to essential medical services needed to provide safe and adequate treatment, and assurance of a balanced health care delivery system;
- Issues of market share, especially as they affect quality, access, and affordability of services; and
- Applicants must meet the Conditions of Approval for any previous Conversion under the Act (For-Profit conversions only)
*for non-profit corporations the consideration is ‘satisfactory’ rather than ‘clear and convincing’
Procedure
Upon submission of an application, the Department of Health reviews the submission to determine if it is complete. If the application is determined to be incomplete, the applicants are advised of the additional information required to complete the application.Once the application is complete, the Department of Health reviews the application in consideration of statutory criteria. Public input is sought through written comment and informational public meetings, as applicable.
Decision
The Director of Health's decision may be:
- To approve the application
- To reject the application, or
- To approve the application with conditions
Centurion - Prospect HCA Application
Hospital Conversions Act Initial Application of The Centurion Foundation, Inc., CharterCARE Health of Rhode Island, Inc., CharterCARE Roger Williams Medical Center, Inc.; CharterCARE Our Lady of Fatima Hospital, Inc., Chamber, Inc., Ivy Holdings, Inc., Ivy Intermediate Holdings, Inc., Prospect Medical Holdings, Inc., Prospect East Holdings, Inc., Prospect CharterCARE, LLC, Prospect CharterCARE SJHSRI, LLC, and Prospect CharterCARE RWMC, LLC (the “Transacting Parties”)
- Centurion CEC State Agency Decision Letter
- Centurion Chamber Prospect CharterCARE HCA RIDOH Decision and Report Attachments
- Application
- RIAG’s Confidentiality Designations
- Public Notice of Centurion-Prospect HCA Application and Public Informational Meetings
- Amended Public Notice of Centurion-Prospect HCA Application and Public Informational Meetings
- Second Amended Public Notice of Centurion-Prospect HCA Application and Public Informational Meetings
- Joint Attorney General/RIDOH Hospital Conversions Public Informational Meeting Sign-Up Sheet and Sign-Up to Provide Public Comments, click here
- Video Recording of the 3/19/2024 Centurion-Prospect HCA Application Public Meeting
- Presentation from the 3/19/2024 Centurion-Prospect HCA Application Public Meeting
- Video Recording of the 3/26/2024 Centurion-Prospect HCA Application Public Meeting
- Presentation from the 3/26/2024 Centurion-Prospect HCA Application Public Meeting
- Centurion – Prospect HCA Application Written Public Comments
- Transcript of the 3/19/2024 Centurion-Prospect HCA Application Public Meeting
- Transcript of the 3/26/2024 Centurion-Prospect HCA Application Public Meeting
- Supplemental Questions and Answers: First Round
Completed Decisions
- Hospital Conversion Initial Application (“Initial Application”) of Rhode Island Academic Health Care System, Inc. (“RIAHCS”), Care New England Health System (“CNE”), Kent County Memorial Hospital, Women & Infants Corporation, Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, Butler Hospital, Lifespan Corporation (“Lifespan”), Rhode Island Hospital, The Miriam Hospital, Newport Hospital, Emma Pendleton Bradley Hospital (together, the “Transacting Parties”)
- Public Notice of CNE/Lifespan HCA Application and Public Informational Meetings
- Sign-up to Provide Public Comments at the Joint AG/RIDOH Public Informational Meetings Re: CNE/Lifespan HCA Application
- Audio Transcript of the 1/20/2022 HCA Public Meeting
- HCA CNE Lifespan Transcript of the Public Meeting (January 20, 2022)
- Audio Transcript of the 1/26/2022 HCA Public Meeting
- HCA CNE Lifespan Transcript of the Public Meeting (January 26, 2022)
- Amended Public Notice of CNE/Lifespan HCA Application and Additional Public Informational Meeting
- HCA Application CNE Lifespan Written Public Comments (February 14, 2022)
- Audio Transcript of the 2/10/2022 HCA Public Meeting
- HCA CNE Lifespan Transcript of the Public Meeting (February 10, 2022)
- RIDOH’s Acceptance Letter of the Withdrawal of CNE/Lifespan’s HCA Application
- Chamber Prospect CharterCARE CEC HCA RIDOH Decision and Report Attachments
- RIDOH Cover Letter and PYA Report on Proposed Hospital Conversion Application Regarding Prospect CharterCARE 04/29/2021
- RIAG/RIDOH Public Informational Meeting Transcript 12/10/2020
- Rhode Island Office of the Attorney General and Rhode Island Department of Health Notice of HCA Applications and Public Informational Meeting
- Joint Attorney General/RIDOH Hospital Conversions Public Informational Meeting Sign-Up Sheet and Sign-Up to Provide Public Comments
- Amended Public Notice of Extension for Public Informational Meeting & Public Comment Period
- Public Comments
- Public Notice
- Application
- Attestations
- Supplemental Information