Dartmouth Health to Discontinue Telehealth Services for Rural Hospitals in Vermont and New Hampshire
Dartmouth Health is ending its telehealth services for emergency and intensive care programs that have been utilized by rural hospitals across Vermont and New Hampshire. These services allowed smaller hospitals to consult with Dartmouth specialists during critical, life-threatening emergencies. Hospital leaders from facilities in St. Albans, Brattleboro, and northern New Hampshire confirmed that while not used daily, these programs significantly enhanced patient care in their rural communities. The TeleICU and TeleEmergency programs provided expert consultation for cases such as cardiac arrest and major trauma, often preventing the need for patient transfers to larger medical centers. For instance, North Country Healthcare, which manages hospitals in Berlin and Lancaster, New Hampshire, used TeleICU for 211 patients and TeleEmergency for 105 patients last year. The discontinuation means these rural hospitals will lose a direct and immediate line to specialized medical expertise during critical situations. 
