Cambridge, Mass.-based Beth Israel Lahey Health has postponed the closure of Exeter (N.H.) Hospital's advanced life support paramedic intercept program after intervention from the New Hampshire attorney general's office, ABC affiliate WMUR reported Sept. 13.
Exeter Hospital had planned to shutter the program Sept. 20 due to financial challenges and changing care demands. The service entails dispatching specially trained hospital paramedics to help respond to community-based medical emergencies in collaboration with local emergency medical services.
Hospital and state officials met Sept. 12 to discuss a plan for shuttering the service, which the hospital provides to nearby cities and towns under contract, according to the report. As the contracts include a clause requiring a 90-day notice of termination, Exeter Hospital will now maintain the service through at least Dec. 20.
"After working with the attorney general's office, we have reached an agreement to extend the closure date of the Paramedic Intercept Program," a spokesperson for the hospital told WMUR. This program has served as a resource for many communities, and we will work with the impacted departments, state and local officials during the transition period."
Beth Israel Lahey Health took over operations of Exeter Hospital in July 2023 through its affiliation with Exeter Health Resources, the hospital's parent company.
EMS leaders say the closure poses challenges for local agencies that rely on the service amid a statewide paramedic shortage, prompting some to explore alternative care options, including developing their own paramedic programs.