New Hampshire AG takes action in Exeter Hospital ALS service termination

Photo bySandown Fire and Rescue

EXETER, NH - The recent announcement that Exeter Hospital will be discontinuing its Advanced Life Support (ALS) paramedic intercept service on September 20, 2024, has raised significant concerns across Seacoast communities. The ALS program, which has been in operation for over 30 years, provides critical emergency medical care to towns that lack in-house paramedic resources. The sudden decision to end this life-saving service has left local fire departments, healthcare providers, and residents scrambling for alternatives.

The decision, which was made public on social media, led to swift reactions from multiple fire departments, including the Exeter, Hampton Falls, and Kingston Fire Departments. In a Facebook post, the Exeter Fire Department acknowledged the importance of the ALS service but assured the community that their paramedic staff can continue to provide advanced medical care. “We provide 24/7 coverage, which includes having at least one paramedic on duty at all times,” the department stated. However, they noted that many smaller towns would be heavily impacted by the loss of Exeter’s ALS service.

Hampton Falls Fire Chief Jay M. Lord expressed disappointment in a Facebook post, calling the decision "less than stellar news" for smaller towns that rely on the service. He reassured residents that the department is exploring alternative options and invited the public to a Selectmen meeting on September 18 to discuss potential solutions.

Tim Redding, a former Exeter Hospital employee, shared his thoughts in a public Facebook post, revealing that the discontinuation had been anticipated since the hospital’s acquisition by Beth Israel Lahey Health. He mentioned that the decision reflects the new management’s disengagement from emergency medical services (EMS), and criticized the short 11-day notice given to medics and affected communities.

In response to growing concerns, the Attorney General’s Office stepped in. On September 13, 2024, Attorney General John M. Formella issued a statement expressing significant public safety concerns about Exeter Hospital's decision. “Exeter Hospital’s announcement that it would be discontinuing the ALS Program within 10 days provided wholly insufficient notice to the communities that rely upon it,” Formella said. After meeting with Exeter Hospital and Beth Israel Lahey Health, the Attorney General's Office received assurances that the ALS program will continue through at least December 20, 2024. In the meantime, state and local officials will collaborate with Exeter Hospital to address the concerns raised by the sudden announcement.

Exeter Hospital, through spokesperson Sonya Vartabedian, acknowledged the difficult decision in a statement, attributing the discontinuation to rising costs, shifting patient care trends, and reimbursement challenges. The full statement from Exeter Hospital reads:

"Like many health care organizations in our region and across the country, Exeter Hospital continues to face dramatically rising costs, changing patient care trends and a challenging reimbursement environment. While we have made progress in continuing to rebuild our financial health in the post-pandemic environment, we are evaluating all aspects of our operations, including aligning our staff with patient care priorities and focusing our resources on health care programs and services that Exeter Hospital is uniquely qualified to provide. As part of this effort, we have made the difficult decision to discontinue the Paramedic Intercept Program. These steps will help ensure we have a strong financial foundation, and that Exeter is well-positioned to continue to deliver on our health care mission." - Sonya Vartabedian, Exeter Hospital Spokesperson

The news has sent shockwaves through smaller towns in the Seacoast region. The Kingston Fire Department described the loss of the ALS service as "devastating" in a Facebook post, explaining that Kingston has long relied on Exeter’s paramedics for complex medical cases. In response, Kingston launched a “Save Exeter ALS Campaign” encouraging residents to write letters to the hospital in hopes of reversing the decision.

Meanwhile, the Professional Fire Fighters of New Hampshire also voiced concern, issuing a statement that called the decision “disheartening” and warned of the potential strain it will place on existing emergency medical services in the region. "This decision, which came without any advanced notice, will leave many communities without the critical services they deserve," the statement read.

As the December deadline approaches, affected communities are left with lingering questions about the future of their emergency medical care. Discussions between Exeter Hospital, local officials, and state representatives will continue in the coming months, as departments work to ensure that the region’s residents continue to receive the advanced medical care they need in emergency situations.

The information for this article was sourced from social media posts by the Exeter, Hampton Falls, Kingston, and Hampton Firefighters & Fire Officers Local, Tim Redding’s public Facebook post, and a press release from the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office.