Exeter (N.H.) Hospital, a 100-bed hospital part of Cambridge, Mass.-based Beth Israel Lahey Health, has agreed to delay multiple planned service cuts, according to a Sept. 25 announcement from New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella.
"Exeter Hospital recently announced a series of proposed cuts of healthcare services impacting patient care for thousands, negatively impacting local municipalities and directly affecting programs and services vital to seniors as well as low income and disadvantaged populations," Attorney General John M. Formella said in a Sept. 25 statement. "The announcement provided insufficient notice to patients, care providers, and the community as a whole causing great concern to those impacted."
While the New Hampshire Department of Justice conducts a compliance review, the hospital will halt the discontinuation of the following services for up to six months:
- Neurology
- Pediatric dental
- Advanced life support (paramedic intercept) program
- Podiatry
- Allergy and immunology
"Exeter Hospital continues to face dramatically rising costs, changing patient care trends and a challenging reimbursement environment," a spokesperson for the hospital told Becker's. "While we have made progress in continuing to rebuild our financial health in the post-pandemic environment, we are evaluating all aspects of our operations, including aligning our staff with patient care priorities and focusing our resources on healthcare programs and services that Exeter Hospital is uniquely qualified to provide."
According to the Justice Department, Exeter Hospital has committed to undertake the following steps over the next six months:
- Create a detailed transition plan for each of the affected services to ensure there is no lapse in patient care.
- Cooperate with the Justice Department's review as to whether any proposed cuts comply with the terms of the final judgment entered into with the state for the July 2023 Beth Israel Lahey acquisition of Exeter Hospital, as well as other obligations under the affiliation agreement and relevant provisions of state and federal law.
Over the next six months, the office of the New Hampshire attorney general will review the details and information that Exeter Hospital and Beth Israel Lahey provide.
"The New Hampshire Department of Justice's role regarding healthcare transactions extends beyond reviewing the proposed affiliation itself," Mr. Formella said. "We must ensure that healthcare charitable trusts comply with the terms of all agreements as well as state law and do not take action that places patients at risk. Beth Israel Lahey has represented to me that it understands its role as a healthcare trust and is committed to regaining the confidence of the community it serves."