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After Contract Dispute, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Taking Over Care at New Hampshire Hospital

Thomas Fearon

Despite some controversy over a contract, today Dartmouth-Hitchcock officially takes over operations at New Hampshire Hospital, the state’s only psychiatric hospital.

Dartmouth has come under heavy criticism from some of the outgoing psychiatric staff at New Hampshire Hospital; they say Dartmouth wasn’t willing to have a fair conversation with them about salary and compensation, and they’re skeptical Dartmouth is ready to care for the patients currently at the state hospital.

Health Commissioner Jeffrey Meyers disagrees. He approves of Dartmouth’s bid to run NH Hospital.

"As commissioner, I will determine no later than the end of July whether or not the current bidder will be able to perform fully," Meyers said.

For its part, Dartmouth says it's temporarily reassigning some psychiatric staff from its Lebanon facility to the state hospital in Concord. Dartmouth says patients at both facilities will be well cared for during the transition.

Before joining NHPR in August 2014, Jack was a freelance writer and radio reporter. His work aired on NPR, BBC, Marketplace and 99% Invisible, and he wrote for the Christian Science Monitor and Northern Woodlands.

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