Not a Sale. Not a Merger. South County Health is Talking — But Not Saying Much

Court restrictions limit discussion of lawsuits while the hospital has 120 days to reveal a “transformational partnership.”

South County Health shared that the lawsuit involving the organization, the group formerly known as Save South County Hospital, three former Chairs of South County Health, and Claudia Swain has been resolved. Both sides have issued joint statements and are moving forward with a shared focus on supporting the health and well-being of our community.

Joint statements summarized, below and are said to reflect the full extent of what can be shared at this time.

In compliance with the court order, South County Health will not be providing any additional details or commentary beyond what has been posted publicly.

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South County Health (SCH) and Save South County Hospital are pleased to announce that they have reached an agreement that will end all litigation between them, as well as between SCH and three former Chairs of South County Health. All claims and counterclaims have been dismissed.

The lawsuits arose out of disagreements over and actions taken by Save South County Hospital, Claudia Swain and the former Chairs in attempting to advocate for steps they believed were important to stabilizing and strengthening SCH. Despite their disagreements, all parties’ efforts over the past year have been rooted in a desire to ensure a strong and vibrant hospital and health system for generations to come. All agree that continuation of litigation will only detract from that shared goal.

As part of this agreement, and in the interest of avoiding future confusion, Save South County Hospital will rename itself as Save Our Health Care and decommission the Save South County Hospital website.

Claudia Swain states: “To the extent that any of my actions were claimed to create confusion or led people to believe that I was suggesting community members should withhold support for South County Health, that was never my intention. Healthcare continues to evolve rapidly, and independent community hospitals like ours face real challenges. That is why it is so important that we come together, stay informed, and work collaboratively to ensure South County Health remains strong for decades to come. One of the most meaningful ways to demonstrate that
commitment is through philanthropy. I have always encouraged, and continue to encourage, all who are able to continue supporting South County Health generously. I have in the past, and continue today to support SCH. It is a vital and unique asset that our community is fortunate to have. As a matter of fact, both myself and my husband have named SCH as a beneficiary in our estate plan – that’s how strongly we feel about the institution.”

The resolution of the lawsuits is a welcome development – it allows all parties to focus exclusively on supporting the very best patient care in our community, and the potential of a strategic partnership to bring long-term stability to South County Hospital.

The parties share a desire to look forward rather than backward. To this end, the parties have agreed that they will not provide further information regarding the lawsuits.

SCH is an independent health care system that has delivered high quality inpatient and outpatient health care to the southern portion of Rhode Island for over a century.

Save Our Healthcare is a non-profit advocacy group established to support excellent patient care in the community.

Claudia Swain is a retired SCH executive who presently is active in local charitable organizations.

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Where is South County Hospital now – as it moves to its “Transformational Partnership”

The hospital has a 120 day period of consideration which began at some point around November, so it is nearing its completion time. For now the hospital has announced it will be releasing a series of 8 videos addressing the issue.

For our readers convenience, here are those that have been published to date:

Video #1 – Why and Why Now?

Video #2 -Digital Modernization & EPIC Implementation

Why is digital modernization – particularly the implementation of EPIC, an electronic health records software – so critical to the future of South County Health?

Video #3 – Technology, AI & Clinical Support

What are some practical examples of how Artificial Intelligence (AI) might support our clinicians or improve the patient experience?

UPCOMING Videos to come: