Care New England Partners with Rhode Island College to Enhance Nursing EHR Training

The collaboration aims to build a pipeline of digitally educated, EHR-trained nurses and healthcare professionals.

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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Care New England, a health system based in Providence, Rhode Island, has partnered with Rhode Island College to integrate Epic EHR training into the school's nursing and health sciences curricula. The goal is to create a pipeline of nurses and healthcare technology professionals skilled in areas like cybersecurity, AI, data analytics, and digital health. As part of the partnership, Care New England will provide access to an Epic academic license, allowing students to gain hands-on experience with the EHR platform, as well as offer internship and cooperative education opportunities that could lead to full-time employment.

Why it matters

This partnership aims to address the significant nursing shortages that health systems are facing by better preparing nursing students with the digital skills and EHR experience needed to hit the ground running. It also aligns with Care New England's goal of strengthening Rhode Island's health IT presence by creating a strong transition from education into the workforce.

The details

Under the partnership, Care New England will work with Rhode Island College to enhance existing academic programs and develop new clinical and healthcare management degree programs, professional certifications, and workshops. A key element of the collaboration is the integration of Epic EHR training into the nursing and health sciences curricula, allowing students to gain hands-on experience with the EHR platform. The partnership also includes the creation of internship and cooperative education opportunities for Rhode Island College students, which could lead to full-time employment with Care New England.

  • The partnership was announced on February 5, 2026.

The players

Care New England

A health system based in Providence, Rhode Island.

Rhode Island College

A college located in Providence, Rhode Island that specializes in workforce development.

Tomas Gregorio

The CIO of Care New England.

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What they’re saying

“It will allow us, as we start to recruit and grow Care New England, to build a certified and trained group of individuals who come in with education on how Care New England works — how a hospital works, how administration looks at dashboards to make critical operational decisions.”

— Tomas Gregorio, CIO, Care New England (beckershospitalreview.com)

“Getting talent early, teaching them how Epic works and ensuring that when they become part of your organization they already understand how to do the work — that's extremely important. Through internships and co-ops, you can test individuals, see how they function in the environment and make better hiring decisions.”

— Tomas Gregorio, CIO, Care New England (beckershospitalreview.com)

What’s next

The partnership will continue to develop new academic programs, certifications, and workshops to further strengthen the pipeline of digitally educated, EHR-trained nurses and healthcare professionals.

The takeaway

This partnership between Care New England and Rhode Island College demonstrates how health systems can proactively address nursing shortages by collaborating with educational institutions to better prepare students with the digital skills and EHR experience needed to succeed in the healthcare workforce.