Medical professionals weigh in on proposed sale of two Rhode Island hospitals

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — Dozens of nurses and doctors weighed in on the proposed sale of Roger Williams and Our Lady of Fatima hospitals on Tuesday during the first of two public comment sessions.

There was mixed opinion from the community on the proposed $80 million sale of the two hospitals to The Centurion Foundation.

That group plans to turn the hospitals from for-profit businesses into non-profits, as the hospitals’ current owner is dealing with financial issues.

Staff said the sale would be a death sentence for the hospitals.

“We need these hospitals to survive,” one nurse said. “But Centurion’s deal as written is not going to make us survive. It is going to put the final dagger and close the doors of those hospitals forever.”

Tuesday’s meeting was the first of two public comment periods scheduled to discuss the proposal.

Supporters of the proposal said the change back to a non-profit is past due.

“What I didn’t realize, and have noticed, is an issue in what happens to profit after that,” a doctor said during public comment. “And with a non-profit, the profit is put back into the hospital [for] better nursing, better technology, infrastructure needs.”

“In for-profit, although there is an initial investment, that money leaves,” they continued. “That money mainly goes to the investors.”

Both the Rhode Island Department of Health and the Attorney General’s Office began their review of the deal back in December.

Now, they have until June 11 to finish the review and determine whether the deal works in favor of the public.

Like any sale, hospital workers are concerned about staffing and benefits but their main concern is just how little they have been told about the plan moving forward.

“I think the issue is, with their application, they have redacted so many things,” said Cindy Fenchel, a medical secretary of 46 years. “Like what services are they going to provide?” 

“We heard today the great services that Ratima Hospital and Rodger Williams provide,” Fenchel continued. “But we have no guarantee when Centurion comes in. Are they going to keep the great services that the healthcare workers do? Because they redacted that in the application.”

The next public comment meeting will be held on March 26 at Rhode Island College.

Written comment on the proposal can be submitted through March 29.

The full text of the proposal can be seen below:

_2_2023.11.14 The Centurion Foundation, Prospect Medical Holdings, et al. HCA Application