Providence, R.I.-based Lifespan Health and Brown University are proceeding with plans to expand their partnership and potentially change the name of the state's largest hospital operator to "Brown Health," local news outlet WPRI reported Oct. 23.
The boards of both organizations voted to strengthen their partnership by "bolstering the connections between and across delivery of care, medical training and biomedical research," Brown President Christina Paxson wrote in an Oct. 23 email to staff and students at Brown's Warren Alpert Medical School.
Under the terms of the expanded partnership, Lifespan and Brown would remain "two separate and distinct nonprofit organizations" and aim to bolster their existing affiliation and licensing agreements, Ms. Paxson wrote, according to the report. Improving economic development in the state, primarily through the newly established Rhode Island Life Sciences Hub, is also part of discussions.
Lifespan operates five hospitals, three of which are academic teaching hospitals: Rhode Island Hospital, Miriam Hospital and Newport Hospital. Many Lifespan providers are also faculty members at Warren Alpert Medical School.
Financial terms of the expanded partnership were not disclosed.
The organizations' current partnership expires Dec. 31, according to WPRI. Further information is expected to be announced in the coming months.