The Rhode Island Department of Health (HEALTH) has approved a request from Lifespan to consolidate open heart surgery services offered at both Rhode Island Hospital and at The Miriam Hospital to a single site at Rhode Island Hospital. Included in the conditions of approval are:
--Lifespan hospitals must offer to enroll patients in Current Care. --Lifespan must report to HEALTH, within six months, the current race, ethnicity, and gender distribution of all open heart surgery patients. --Rhode Island Hospital must report to HEALTH, annually, utilization data of its cardiology clinic.
“The number of open heart surgeries performed in the last decade has significantly declined,” said Interim Director of Health Michael Fine, MD. “I believe this is a result of a successful, long-term collaboration of public health and primary care. At the same time, we also want to ensure that all Rhode Islanders, including those who are low income or uninsured, continue to have access to this life-saving service.”
For the full report and list of conditions, visit http://www.health.ri.gov/publications/reports/2011RIHOpenHeartCertificateOfNeed.pdf