Community Forum in Claremont to Discuss Hospital Merger and What’s Next for Local Health Care
In 2022, Valley Regional Hospital (VRH) in Claremont announced its affiliation with Dartmouth Health as a step toward long-term stability and stronger access to good care. While the merger was finalized in 2024, many in the community remain concerned about the long-term impact of hospital consolidations, particularly when it comes to preserving essential services in rural areas.
The New Hampshire Healthcare Consumer Protection Advisory Commission (HCPAC) is coming to Claremont to listen and learn about community experience. On Wednesday, July 23, 2025, the Commission will host a public meeting from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Claremont Savings Bank Community Center to hear directly from residents about how health care has changed in the region—what’s working, what’s missing, and where gaps are growing.
At present, Valley Regional Hospital has just broken ground on a $20 million Medical Office Building, a project expected to bring expanded primary care, outpatient services and updated facilities to serve the region. The community has also been promised a new addiction-treatment center as one of the terms of the merger.
Claremont Region Faces Growing Health Care Gaps
Sullivan County is grappling with mounting health care challenges that reflect the broader issues facing NH's rural communities. VRH formerly operated an urgent care center in Charlestown, NH that closed in 2020 during the COVID pandemic and has never reopened. The closure of the Planned Parenthood clinic in Claremont in 2022 ended more than 30 years of critical public health access for many key populations and left a major gap in the availability of primary and reproductive care, particularly for women, LGBTQ and low-income residents.
Across New Hampshire, recent hospital affiliations have led to service reductions, staffing cuts, and confusion for patients. From labor and delivery closures to the loss of local specialists, rural communities have been hit especially hard. Many families and older adults are forced to travel farther for care or face longer waits for appointments.
The Attorney General’s office is paying attention. This meeting is one in a series of statewide listening sessions aimed at evaluating whether hospitals and health systems are keeping the promises made during mergers and affiliations. It's also an opportunity for patients, providers, and local leaders to share firsthand how these changes are affecting care delivery and outcomes.
Has your access to care changed since the Dartmouth Health partnership at Valley Regional Hospital? Are you worried about costs, closures, or quality of health care in the region? Did things get better or easier?
Your experience matters—and now is the time to speak up.
This is more than just a meeting—it’s a chance to hold these institutions accountable to community stakeholders and ensure that health care in New Hampshire reflects the needs and voices of those it serves.
Public Meeting Details
Date: Tuesday, July 23, 2025
Time: 4:30–6:30 p.m.
Location: Claremont Savings Bank Community Center,
152 South Street, Claremont, NH
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To submit written comments or questions in advance, email Christine.L.Rioux@doj.nh.gov. All public input becomes part of the official record.