Yale New Haven Health senior leaders, including Marna Borgstrom, YNHHS president and CEO, and Thomas Balcezak, MD, YNHH chief medical officer, testified at a public hearing at the Holiday Inn in New London July 26 for six and a half hours about the proposed affiliation of Lawrence + Memorial Health with Yale New Haven Health System.

After more than 12 hours of public testimony, data and information presented to the Office of Healthcare Access (OHCA) over two separate days, OHCA has completed the public hearing on the proposed affiliation of Lawrence + Memorial Health with Yale New Haven Health System (YNHHS). OHCA will now have the opportunity to make a final decision on the historic partnership that would bring Lawrence + Memorial Hospital, as well as Westerly Hospital in Rhode Island into YNHHS.

"Lawrence + Memorial and Yale New Haven have enjoyed a long, mutually beneficial relationship," said Marna Borgstrom, YNHHS president and CEO. "We firmly believe that this affiliation will benefit patients and drive down costs, while enhancing and preserving access to local healthcare in the New London and Westerly regions."

At the public hearing, there was a strong turnout of supporters, including patients and physicians, the business community, organized labor, members of the clergy and local and state elected officials representing both political parties. Among those testifying in support of the affiliation were the Greater New Haven Clergy Association, New Haven Mayor Toni Harp's office, the New Haven branch of the NAACP, the Teamsters, United Nurses and Allied Professionals and chambers of commerce from Bridgeport, New Haven, New London and Rhode Island.

With the Federal Trade Commission signing off on the affiliation last year, the transaction has been complicated by an executive order issued by Gov. Dannel Malloy which effectively put the affiliation on hold until January 2017.

It remains unclear what direction OHCA will take in light of that executive order. At the same time, the affiliation is on track to receive approvals next month from the State of Rhode Island.

"It is important to note that this is an affiliation – not an acquisition," added Borgstrom. "We are hopeful that OHCA will find a pathway to approve this critical affiliation in a way that makes sense for our patients, our employees and the communities we serve."