Hospital Conversions Information

Initial application (PDF)

Hospital Conversions Act

Request For Qualification - PDF.pdf

Email - Comments
(When emailing please include in in subject line Lifespan/CNE, St. Joseph Health Services of RI, Roger Williams Hospital/CharterCare Health Partner or Rehab RI to expedite response).

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Maureen G. Glynn, Assistant Attorney General, Unit Chief

The Legislature created the Office of Health Care Advocate in 1999. The health care industry is a complex system, which patients must navigate at vulnerable times in their lives. The Health Care Advocate assists patients with health care issues, such as access to health care, pain assessment and management, advance care planning, prescription drugs, and health care privacy. Through the Attorney General's constitutional and statutory authority, as the state's legal advisory, advocate parens patriae, and protector of the public trust, the Health Care Advocate advocates for Rhode Islanders to assure that health care laws, regulations, rules, and agreements are satisfied.

Since the establishment of the Office of Health Care Advocate, the Health Care Advocate has recovered more than $ 239,605,226 for the State of Rhode Island and its citizens through litigation. The Office of Health Care Advocate received two (2) grants to improve patient safety, an important element of quality health care. The Department of Attorney, through the Office of Health Care Advocate, was one of only twelve (12) recipients of grants by the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality and the Veterans' Administration which was used to established the Rhode Island Patient Safety Improvement Corps, a collaboration among the Department of Attorney General, Department of Health, Rhode Island Hospital, Kent County Hospital, and Quality Partners of Rhode Island.

The Health Care Advocate participates in community outreach programs to educate the public and health care professionals about improving end of life care, pain management, advance care planning, health care privacy, patients' rights, prescription drugs, patient safety, and patient's health care rights and responsibilities. The Health Care Advocate drafts legislation, such as the Pain Assessment Act and the Nursing Home Financial Management and Accountability Act, and participates in legislative advocacy. Working with other state agencies, such as the R.I. Department of Health, R.I. Department of Human Services, R.I. Department of Business Regulation, and advocates, such as the Long-Term Care Ombudsman, The Alliance for the Better Long Term Care, the Health Care Advocate protects patients' rights and assists Rhode Islanders to maneuver a complex health care system. The Health Care Advocate also works with various Units within the Department of Attorney General to protect Rhode Islanders, such as the Insurance Advocacy Unit, Antitrust Unit, Charitable Trust Unit, and Medicaid Fraud and Patient Abuse Unit.

The Health Care Advocate represents citizens, as the Attorney General may direct, through the following duties:

• To appear as an amicus curiae in civil action related to health care quality standards,
• To intervene in or request initiation of administrative action related to health care and health insurance,
• To educate the public about health care rights, laws, and policies,
• To engage in legislative advocacy,
• To cooperate with state agencies,
• To initiate formal legal actions concerning health care and health insurance laws, and
• To advocate for changes to support quality and affordable health care.

Some of the Office of Health Care Advocate's noteworthy projects are set forth below:

• End of life care
• Reports and Publications