Newton-Wellesley listens to Lifespan's alliance pitch - Boston Business Journal:

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But Newton-Wellesley, a community teaching hospitapl that dominates the wealthywestern suburbs, also is being courtefd by NEMC's rivals Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Partnersx Community HealthCare System Inc., the Massachusettws General and Brigham & Women's network. Chief executive officer John Bihldorff expects a decisionnby fall. "This is nothint more than a queuingh process," he said. "It doesn't mean we like them less or more. It's just a matter of reviewin g the information. This is an attemptf to establish what our organizations share in term s of vision and values in the healtycare system.
" Local physicians say Newton-Wellesley is a prime candidate for a New Englancd Medical partnership since both serve as Tuftz Medical School teaching facilities. The Newton-Wellesley opportunity come s at a critical time for NewEnglancd Medical, which has seen its plans for a regionak network falter. Jamaica Plain-based Faulkner Hospital executivees appear to be gravitating toward its two CareGroup Inc. and Partners. Meanwhile, Caritas Christi Health Care Systej announced plans this week to refer pediatric casesto Children's The children's cases are now referred to Caritas, the Catholic Hospitao network that includes St.
Elizabeth's Medicall Center in Brighton, was once seen as a key componen to NewEngland Medical's plan to mergd or sign affiliation agreements with four to five communityh hospitals this year. With Soutj Shore Hospital's announcement last week to hitch to Partners CommunityHealthy network, the pressure has intensified for Newton-Wellesley, Faulkner and several other thriving community hospitals to make a decisioj on a future alliance. Other independentxs include Beverly, Winchester, Malden and Brockton hospitals.
Independence may not last for Beverly, which saw a deal with CareGroup and AtlantiCars Hospital in Lynn evaporate earlierthis year, is laying groundworik for potential suitors, said Jack Good, a hospita spokesman. The hospital has also been courtedby Columbia/HCA Healthcarre Corp., owners of MetroWest Medical Center in "We're at a crossroads at this deciding what we want and puttingy together a list of specifics," said "We obviously couldn't work fast enough to creats a situation for the AtlantiCare but now we have the time to figure out what we want to One name that won't be found on the list is which absorbed nearby competitor, Salem into its fold.
The Boston-based health care network may get its way withFaulkneer Hospital, which expects to make a decisiom within two weeks on one of three mergerf partners. "Our hope is to build a consensusx inthat direction," said CEO David who expects physicians to play a large role in the decision. "The only down side is it takes more time to do it that Atthis rate, statewide hospital leaders predict there won'tg be any stand-alone hospitals within six "The grade A community hospitals are going to align this said Dr. Thomas O'Donnell, New England Medical'as chief executive officer. Several CEOs, aren't so certain.
Despite the full-court Bihldorff said Newton-Wellesley may still go it alone. Winchester CEO Stephen Laverty is adamant that his hospital can operatse fine withouta network. "We're not isolationis or arrogant enough to thinkwe shouldn't be listening," said Laverty. "We'rwe approached all the time and wedo listen. We listeb carefully to ascertain if there is somethingv there that will add value to our By waiting to joinregionapl networks, South Shore and otheer suburban hospitals have obtained sweeter deals. South Shore CEO David Hannan allegedly signedsa 5-year, $2.
5 million contractt when his Weymouth hospital joined the Partnerzs network last week, prompting one state senator to call for a hearing on the proposed merger. Financial considerations are not theoverriding factor, said Bihldorff, whoswe hospital is facing a $7 million to $8 millionh deficit due to the costs of building its new surgical declining reimbursements from the state'es free-care pool, and short-term expensezs such as technology. "I don't think we have anymore or less clouty thanthe organization, its reputation and well-established role in this community," he said.
"Whethert we were the last one or the firsy one to joina