PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — In an effort to increase access to health care at lower costs, the parent company of two local hospitals says it’s spending millions of dollars on renovations.
Charter Care kicked off a $17 million capital investment project Monday morning that will result in changes at Roger Williams Medical Center in Providence and Our Lady of Fatima Hospital in North Providence.
The company is rebuilding the entrance of both hospitals. According to Charter Care’s CEO Lester Schindel, that’s just one step in the company’s mission to make health care more accessible.
The company announced it is also renovating and modernizing the emergency departments for both hospitals. However, expansion plans at Roger Williams still needs state approval.
Gov. Gina Raimondo said she supports the plan.
“The community here around Roger Williams needs a place to go and it’s good for the families here that have a high-quality hospital in their backyard and so this is just an expansion of what they do here. And again, their goal is to have higher quality services, better access and lower costs,” Raimondo said. “At the core of a strong community is a healthy community and Charter Care has proven to be a leader and an innovator and now an investor in Rhode Island’s community and community health.”
Charter Care anticipates the project will create more than 200 construction jobs. The project at both buildings is expected to continue through the end of next year.
The project comes just over a year after Charter Care and Prospect Medical Holdings started a joint venture to spend $7 million in technological improvements.
