Newport (R.I.) Hospital plans to keep its Noreen Stonor Drexel Birthing Center open, but only if the facility can secure an additional $4.9 million in annual funding from the state and philanthropic donors.
The 129-bed nonprofit acute care facility is affiliated with Providence, R.I.-based Brown University Health.
The decision came after an independent review from Kaufman Hall that assessed the center’s perinatal quality, safety and long-term financial viability, according to an April 3 hospital news release shared with Becker’s.
It found that the center delivers safe, quality care with around-the-clock obstetric, pediatric and anesthesia coverage. It also found challenges such as workforce sustainability and the operational demands of maintaining readiness for high-acuity cases in a low-volume environment.
“The independent review affirmed the quality and safety of care delivered by our clinical teams and outlined the additional investments needed to ensure the program remains strong and financially sustainable,” Tenny Thomas, MD, president of Newport Hospital, said in the release. “State and philanthropic investments are essential to improving care across Rhode Island and maintaining quality local services, such as the birthing center.”
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