Women & Infants Hospital Receives Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island’s
People4Equity Designation
(Providence, RI) – On Friday, March 13, Care New England hosted its Community-Centered Care Summit, bringing together health care providers, community leaders, and local organizations to collaborate on improving health outcomes and expanding access to care across the community.
The theme of this year’s summit, “Forward with Purpose," acknowledged the significant challenges facing health care while focusing on meaningful paths forward. The event featured speakers and collaborative sessions designed to advance health equity and strengthen partnerships across the region.
“Bringing together professionals at Care New England who are passionate about health equity, population health, and patient-centered care allows us to better understand the challenges people face and work together to create solutions for our community,” said Kevin Martins, Ed.D., MBA, Vice President & Chief Diversity Officer, Care New England.
The summit also featured keynote speaker, Dr. Michael Curry, Esq., President and CEO of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers and Co-Founder of the Massachusetts Health Equity Compact, a leader in advancing systemic health equity across Massachusetts.
The event concluded with the Advancing Excellence in Equitable Care Awards, which recognize individuals or teams for outstanding contributions to health equity. This year’s recipients are:
• The Advancing Excellence in Equitable Care Leader Award:
Mary Beth Sutter, MD, FAAFP, Care New England Medical Group
• The Advancing Excellence in Equitable Care Team Award:
Assertive Community Treatment, Registration, Quality Improvement, and Outpatient Programs teams, The Providence Center
During the summit, Women & Infants Hospital was also recognized by Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island with its inaugural People4Equity Designation, honoring Women & Infants’ work to reduce disparities in maternal health.
“We are proud to be the first hospital in Rhode Island to receive the People4Equity Designation. It is a reflection of the deep commitment of the hospital and our teams to providing high-quality maternal care to our community,” said Methodius Tuuli, MD, MPH, MBA, Interim President and Chief of OBGYN, Women & Infants Hospital. “We look forward to continuing our partnership as we explore new ways to advance equity and support maternal care.”
“This designation highlights Women & Infants Hospital’s efforts to support respectful, patient-centered care,” said Rena Sheehan, MBA, LICSW, Neighborhood’s Vice President of Clinical Strategy and Implementation. “We were impressed by the many initiatives in place at WIH. From social determinants of health screenings and health literacy and language support to access to doulas, prenatal and postpartum visit discussion, and behavioral health screenings.”
Through initiatives like the Community-Centered Care Summit, Care New England continues to strengthen partnerships and advance meaningful action toward more equitable health outcomes.
About Care New England
Care New England Health System is a trusted organization advancing the future of care through leading medical research, nationally recognized clinical services, and innovative programs. As one connected system, CNE attracts top, specially trained physicians and clinicians, fosters collaboration across disciplines, and leads meaningful conversations about health, wellness, and end-of-life care.
Founded in 1996, Care New England brings together a network of respected organizations working together to better serve patients and the community. The system includes Butler Hospital, Kent Hospital, Women & Infants Hospital, Care New England Medical Group, VNA Home Health and Hospice, The Providence Center, and Integra, a certified accountable care organization (ACO). Care New England includes 749 licensed beds and 102 infant bassinets. Care New England is proud of its strong commitment to education and research, and through Butler, Kent, and Women & Infants Hospitals, maintains a teaching and research affiliation with The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. Kent is also a teaching affiliate of the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine.
About Women & Infants Hospital
Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, a Care New England hospital, is one of the nation’s leading specialty hospitals for women and newborns. A major teaching affiliate of The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University for obstetrics, gynecology, and newborn pediatrics, as well as a number of specialized programs in women’s medicine, Women & Infants is the ninth largest stand-alone obstetrical service in the country and the largest in New England with approximately 8,700 deliveries per year. Women & Infants is a Designated Baby-Friendly® USA hospital and was recently ranked by Newsweek as one of America's Best Maternity Hospitals in 2024. The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology ranked 11 in U.S. News & World Report’s 2019 Best Medical Schools specialty ranking.
Women & Infants has been designated as a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence by the American College of Radiography; a Center of Excellence in Minimally Invasive Gynecology; and a Neonatal Resource Services Center of Excellence. It is one of the largest and most prestigious research facilities in high-risk and normal obstetrics, gynecology, and newborn pediatrics in the nation, and is a member of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Maternal Fetal Medicine Units Network, and Pelvic Floors Disorders Network, as well as the National Cancer Institute’s Gynecologic Oncology Group.