Merger enhances care coordination, expands access,
and unifies over 1,500 providers to improve patient care
Brown Physicians Inc. (BPI) and Brown Health Medical Group have completed reviews by both the Federal Trade Commission and Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha and will move forward with a merger that will improve care coordination, expand access, and better serve patients across the state.
BPI is a multi-specialty practice group founded and led by faculty affiliated with The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. Their six foundations—Dermatology, Emergency Medicine, Medicine, Neurology, Surgery, and Urology—will join Brown Health Medical Group, the physician-led and governed multi-specialty medical group that is part of the Brown University Health system.
The merger is expected to be finalized and effective on October 1, 2025 and will result in BPI’s more than 500 physicians joining Brown Health Medical Group’s 1,000 plus providers. The merged organization of more than 1,500 providers will deliver high quality, innovative care to patients in Rhode Island and the region as one-unified entity.
“A key benefit of this merger for both patients and providers will be the integration of BPI practices into Brown Health’s electronic health record system,” said Angela Caliendo, MD, PhD, Warren Alpert Foundation Professor and Executive Vice Chair, Department of Medicine, Brown University, President of Brown Physicians, Inc. “This transition is designed to optimize care delivery, enhance data sharing, and ensure that all providers have access to a unified patient record, leading to more integrated and efficient care. Patients will benefit from reduced paperwork, timely access to test results, and improved coordination among specialties, all accessible via a single patient portal.”
“The BPI physicians and practices already work closely with our medical group and hospitals. With all of us now officially being on the same team—and soon on the same electronic health system—we’ll be able to deliver more seamless, connected, and innovative care to the communities we serve,” said Babar Khokhar, MD, EVP, Chief Physician Officer, Brown University Health and President of Brown Health Medical Group. “This is a transformative moment for our health system, and a big win for patients across Rhode Island and the region.”
As part of the merger conditions set forth by Attorney General Neronha, Brown Health will increase access to primary care for 30,000 new patients over a three-year period and potentially extend to 40,000 new patients over four years. In addition, Brown Health also committed to hiring approximately 27 additional primary care providers over the next three years. These conditions are consistent with work already underway to increase efforts to recruit and retain primary care physicians to address the state's ongoing shortage and will be further expanded to meet the AG's expectations.
“We are grateful that the regulatory reviews are complete, and we are now focused on moving forward with integration plans, including transitioning BPI to our electronic health record system,” said John Fernandez, President and CEO of Brown University Health. “The newly combined organizations will also support the continued growth of research and education in the Brown University Health system, reinforcing our commitment to academic excellence and innovation in healthcare.”
About Brown Physicians Inc
Brown Physicians, Incorporated (BPI) is a community-based not-for-profit multi-specialty practice group founded and led by faculty affiliated with The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. BPI’s mission is to provide outstanding patient care, exceptional medical education, and groundbreaking advances in research to promote better health for the people of Rhode Island and its surrounding communities. BPI is composed of six foundations, which include Brown Dermatology, Brown Emergency Medicine, Brown Medicine, Brown Neurology, Brown Urology, and Brown Surgery.
About Brown University Health
Brown University Health is a not-for-profit health system based in Providence, R.I. Formed in 1994, it is comprised of three teaching hospitals of The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University: Rhode Island Hospital and its Hasbro Children’s Hospital; The Miriam Hospital; and Bradley Hospital, the nation’s first psychiatric hospital for children. Brown Health also includes Newport Hospital, Saint Anne’s Hospital, and Morton Hospital that offer a broad range of health services; Gateway Healthcare, R.I.’s largest provider of community behavioral health care; Brown Health Medical Group, the largest multi-specialty practice in R.I.; and Brown Health Medical Group Primary Care, a primary care driven medical practice. Brown University Health teaching hospitals are among the country’s top recipients of research funding from the National Institutes of Health. All Brown University Health-affiliated partners are charitable organizations that depend on support from the community to provide programs and services.