The long-awaited incorporation of Exeter (N.H.) Health Resources into Cambridge, Mass.-based Beth Israel Lahey Health has taken a major step forward after the New Hampshire attorney general's office agreed to the transaction.
The two systems agreed to merge in June 2022, with regulatory approvals at the time expected to take several months. Following the attorney general's approval, the transaction looks set to close in the coming weeks.
"The agreement now moves to the New Hampshire courts for final approval, and the organizations anticipate finalizing the transaction later this summer," the two systems said in a statement.
Beth Israel Lahey, which under the deal would acquire all the assets of Exeter Health including the 100-bed Exeter Hospital, Core Physicians and Rockingham Visiting Nurse Association & Hospice, operates 13 hospitals and employs approximately 36,000 people.
"This marks a significant milestone in securing the sustainability of our healthcare system and its ability to continue to thrive and meet the evolving healthcare needs here in the Seacoast Region," Kevin Callahan, president and CEO of Exeter Health Resources, said.