BELLOWS FALLS, Vt. – At North Star Health, we value our patients, and understand that any changes to healthcare can feel overwhelming. Recently, we made the difficult decision to consolidate our Rockingham Health Center with our Springfield and Charlestown locations, effective Jan. 1, 2025. As highlighted by the Green Mountain Care Board’s recent guidance under Act 167, Vermont’s healthcare system is at a crossroads. This necessary decision reflects the evolving healthcare landscape and our commitment to ensuring long-term access to care.
We know this may feel challenging, and we’re here to help. You will have the option to follow your primary care provider to either our Springfield or Charlestown Health Centers (just a short drive from Rockingham), or you can choose another provider within North Star who is accepting new patients. Our team will work with patients to find the best solution based on their needs. We’re committed to helping patients make this transition as smooth as possible.
For those concerned about transportation, our Community Health Team is available to assist with resources, to ensure no one is left behind as we navigate this transition.
Since 2020, the number of primary care patients at the Rockingham Health Center has decreased by nearly 50%. The combination of the low numbers, financial challenges, staffing shortages, and aging facilities, make it clear that we must rethink how care is delivered to ensure sustainability and access for all. Though unsettling, consolidating services into fewer, better-supported locations are essential to the bigger picture of preserving access to quality care to those who need it most.
As North Star announces this restructure, please know that we have engaged closely with our elected officials, who agree that reimbursement models must evolve for healthcare to be truly accessible. At the same time, our community members are feeling the burden of rising taxes, and cannot bear much more. It is a complex issue that no single solution will solve, but rest assured we are exploring many approaches.
Your voice in this matter is meaningful. We invite stakeholders to join a community forum in the waiting room of the Rockingham Health Center on Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024, at 5:30 p.m., to discuss the change.
We appreciate the community understanding and flexibility as we navigate these changes together. Your trust and support mean the world to us, and we are committed to being here for you – today and in the future – providing the care you deserve.