L+M Healthcare, YNHHS approve definitive agreement to affiliate

New London, CT – L+M Healthcare (L+M) and Yale New Haven Health System (YNHHS) today announced they have approved a definitive agreement to affiliate, pending regulatory approval. L+M Healthcare is the parent organization of Lawrence + Memorial Hospital, Westerly Hospital, L+M Medical Group and the Visiting Nurse Association of Southeastern Connecticut (VNASC).

The definitive agreement, approved by both Boards of Directors, is based on the mutual belief that an affiliation would enhance healthcare quality, access and efficiency. Under the agreement, L+M Healthcare will become a corporate member of YNHHS, joining Bridgeport, Greenwich and Yale New Haven Hospitals as a full member of the System. This is the first hospital to join YNHHS since 1998.

“Yale New Haven is the obvious choice for a partnership for L+M,” said Bruce Cummings, president and CEO of L+M Healthcare. “This affiliation will provide us with the clinical depth and resources we need to grow and serve our patients and will respect our role as a vibrant community-based hospital system.”

“YNHHS and L+M have a longstanding relationship and share strong clinical partnerships that have truly benefitted the patients we both serve,” said Marna P. Borgstrom, president and CEO, Yale New Haven Health and CEO, Yale New Haven Hospital. “We are very enthusiastic about an affiliation with L+M because we firmly believe that it will help both health systems continue to succeed in this rapidly evolving environment.”

The affiliation will deliver sophisticated care across a wide spectrum of primary and specialty services in multiple locations and position the organizations to manage population health initiatives. The unified health systems will form an integrated delivery network for the entire region that will be positioned to manage the changes inherent in today’s healthcare reform.

“This is an important step for Lawrence + Memorial Healthcare and we are confident that our decision to affiliate with a nationally recognized, patient-centered organization like Yale New Haven is the right move,” said Alan Hunter, Chair of the Board, L+M Healthcare. “Given the inherent complexity of our current environment, our longstanding clinical history and our shared vision and values, we are very excited about the possibilities inherent in this partnership.”

As part of the affiliation, Yale New Haven Health System will invest $300 million in eastern Connecticut and western Rhode Island, including clinical investments in areas such as primary care, OB/maternity services, orthopedics, neurosurgery, maternal-fetal medicine, vascular, neurology/stroke, endocrine medicine and physiatry. Additionally, the Epic electronic medical record system will be implemented throughout the L+M Healthcare system, providing easier access to critical medical information and creating enhanced data sharing for local providers.

Under the specifics of the agreement, the Lawrence + Memorial Medical Group will become part of Yale New Haven Health’s Northeast Medical Group (NEMG). All current labor contracts with Lawrence + Memorial Hospital, the VNASC and Westerly Hospital will remain in effect. L+M and Westerly Hospitals will maintain their community-based boards of trustees.

With the endorsement of the respective Boards, the full regulatory approval process in both Connecticut and Rhode Island will be initiated within the next several weeks. The affiliation will require review and approval by state and federal agencies.