PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- The state has suspended its review of the application of Prime Healthcare Services to buy Landmark Medical Center, saying the hospitals' response to a request for more information overwhelmed regulators with documents but didn't answer all questions.
A letter from the Departments of Health and Attorney General notes that the follow-up documentation totaled 1,400 pages more than the original application, more than could be processed within the 10-day statutory limit.
"The initial application process should not be used to force the Departments to perform work that should have been done by the Transacting Parties in the first place," the letter states.
The regulators gave Prime, a for-profit California chain, and Landmark, a bankrupt Woonsocket hospital, until April 19 to provide the information.