YNHHS News Releases

Released May 21, 1998

Contacts:
Yale New Haven Health System (203)688-2488
Westerly Hospital (401) 348-2300

The Westerly Hospital Signs Network Participant Agreement with Yale New Haven Health System

Westerly, RI - The Westerly Hospital, Westerly, R.I., today announced the signing of a network participant agreement with the Yale New Haven Health System (YNHHS). Yale New Haven Health System's members, Yale-New Haven Hospital, Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital, Bridgeport Hospital and Greenwich Hospital welcome The Westerly Hospital as the first network participant in the Yale New Haven Health Network.

With over 1,600 participating physicians and five hospitals, the Yale New Haven Health Managed Care Network offers a full range of services to payers and employers including contracting, contract management, claims processing and medical and disease management. The Yale New Haven Health Managed Care Network includes the physician hospital organizations (PHOs) for each member and network participant of the Yale New Haven Health System.

The Yale New Haven Health Managed Care Network was organized by the Yale New Haven Health System, which is one of the largest and most comprehensive integrated health care delivery systems in Southern New England. The system includes a New Haven-based health care network anchored by Yale-New Haven Hospital and the Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital; a Bridgeport health care network led by Bridgeport Hospital and a Greenwich health care network led by Greenwich Hospital. Bridgeport Hospital and Greenwich Hospital are each affiliated with, and Yale-New Haven Hospital serves as the primary teaching hospital for, the Yale University School of Medicine.

The Westerly Hospital, which opened in 1925, is a non-profit, acute care, 125-bed community hospital serving southern Rhode Island and southeastern Connecticut. It provides a full range of inpatient and outpatient services, including medical, surgical, obstetrical and gynecological, pediatric, intensive and emergency care. Approximately 40 percent of The Westerly Hospital's patients reside in southeastern Connecticut.

"This affiliation recognizes that hospitals and physicians can be more efficient in meeting the health care needs of patients by working more closely together," said Joseph A. Zaccagnino, president and CEO of the Yale New Haven Health System. "We are adding to our network a strong community hospital that is very ably serving residents of Connecticut and Rhode Island, and providing Westerly physicians attractive options should their patients require the specialized care of other hospitals in the Yale New Haven Health System."

The Westerly Hospital's relationship with the Yale New Haven Health System creates a contractual alliance. Westerly will remain independent and corporately separate, with no change in governance or transfer of assets.

"During a time of change and increased competition in the health care industry, this alliance enables us to strengthen our ability to meet the requirements of today's marketplace," stated Michael K. Lally, president and CEO of The Westerly Hospital. "This network participant relationship will provide assistance with managed care contracting through participation in the Yale New Haven Health Managed Care Network, access to contract management services, the availability of YNHHS-related health insurance products to our community and area employers and the ongoing exploration of other collaborative opportunities to improve local patient services."

Yale New Haven Health System is the third largest non-governmental employer in Connecticut with over 11,000 employees. Yale New Haven Health System has 1,485 acute care beds and net assets of more than $1.3 billion. Yale New Haven Health System offers an unparalleled range of medical services, including acute care hospitals, freestanding rehabilitation services, ambulatory surgery, outpatient diagnostic centers and primary care centers.

Yale New Haven Health Statistics