NJ business offers to buy RI's Westerly Hospital

NEW LONDON, Conn. (AP) — A New Jersey hospital management company has announced it wants to buy the financially troubled Westerly Hospital in Rhode Island.

The Day of New London and The Bulletin of Norwich report that Westerly Hospital Holdco announced its offer Thursday and made a separate offer under an affiliated company to enter into a lease-purchase agreement for the North Stonington Health Center.

Westerly Hospital Holdco said it works with communities to save acute-care hospitals in financial distress. It said it would keep the hospital open as an independent community hospital for a minimum of 10 years.

Both companies are affiliated with IJKG Opco, a hospital management company in Bayonne, N.J.

Lawrence & Memorial Hospital in New London also has submitted an offer to purchase some or all of the assets of the Westerly Hospital.

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