Exeter (N.H.) Health Resources has signed a letter of intent to explore joining Cambridge Mass.-based Beth Israel Lahey Health.
Exeter Health Resources includes Exeter Hospital, Core Physicians and Rockingham Visiting Nurse Association & Hospice, according to a March 15 Beth Israel Lahey news release.
Exeter chose Beth Israel Lahey as a potential partner partially because of its commitment to expanding and locally delivering several clinical services, including behavioral healthcare, according to the news release.
"One of the defining factors in our Board's selection of BILH was its demonstrated commitment to not only keeping care local within the community, but to deeply invest in the advancement of that care ensuring that Seacoast residents would always have access to the most advanced clinical care right here in New Hampshire, for generations to come," Exeter CEO and President Kevin Callahan stated in the news release.
The next steps are to reach a final agreement and obtain approval from the Federal Trade Commission and the states of New Hampshire and Massachusetts.
The exploration of joining Beth Israel Lahey comes a little over a year after Boston-based Massachusetts General Hospital withdrew its plan to merge with Exeter Hospital, Seacoastonline reported March 15. The New Hampshire attorney general opposed that merger because of antitrust concerns.
Mr. Callahan told Seacoastonline an affiliation is vital for Exeter Health Resources' sustainability.