Lebanon, NH — Dartmouth Health welcomes Valley Regional Hospital (Valley Regional) as its newest member. Dartmouth Health and Valley Regional have worked collaboratively for many years across multiple services, including cardiology, oncology, pathology and radiology.
This official affiliation builds upon the existing relationship and enables the formal integration of its clinical, administrative and financial resources to sustain efficient, high-quality care for the rural communities served by Valley Regional and Mt. Ascutney Hospital and Health Center, an existing Dartmouth Health member.
As the most rural academic medical system in the United States, Dartmouth Health offers the resources of the latest research and technology and the highest standards of care typically found in major metropolitan areas to the largely rural population of the surrounding region, without the need to travel. Critical access and community hospitals that join Dartmouth Health gain all the benefits of academic medical affiliation. Residents of the greater Claremont area who receive their care through Valley Regional will reap these benefits of this affiliation, with the familiarity of a known and trusted community institution.
“Both Valley Regional and Dartmouth Health share a deep commitment to expanding access to care throughout our region’s rural communities, and believe that combining our resources will allow us to better meet the needs of patients in Sullivan County and the Upper Valley region, now and in the future,” said Jocelyn Caple, MD, interim CEO of Valley Regional.
The agreement, made official on July 31, 2024, formally integrates Valley Regional with Dartmouth Health, providing the sharing of additional resources, such as improved access to state-of-the-art technology, the latest in clinical research and more than 2,000 of the region’s most distinguished physicians and providers. As a Dartmouth Health member hospital, Valley Regional’s patients will experience improved access and expanded specialty care, including mental health, substance use treatment and women’s health.
“There is so much optimism and excitement as we look to our future together,” said Joanne M. Conroy, MD, CEO and president of Dartmouth Health. “The benefit to our patients, families and rural communities will be substantial, including investments in future services and infrastructure and enhanced research opportunities to continue providing the best in innovative, cutting-edge, world-class care. Dartmouth Health is woven into the fabric of the communities we serve, and now Claremont and its surrounding communities will formally be a part of that fabric. We couldn’t be more excited about Valley Regional Hospital becoming a member of Dartmouth Health.”
