LANCASTER — More needs to be done by the New Hampshire attorney general’s office regarding oversight of North Country Healthcare, according to members of the Concerned Patients Group critical of the medical care entity.
The group, which includes Judi Garfinkle, Edith Tucker and Barbara Tetreault, issued a press release Monday night, June 15. Attached to the press release was a seven-page report authored by retired public health professor J. Larry Brown, Ph.D. The report and a letter also written by Brown and Timothy T. More, Esquire, were addressed to Attorney General John Formella and Assistant Attorney General Mary Ann Dempsey. Dempsey works in the A.G.’s Charitable Trust Unit.
Brown did not mince words in his criticism of NCH practices, as the report shows.
The press release states: “Responding to patient complaints of inadequate medical care, an investigation by the Charitable Trust Unit of the Attorney General’s Office last month found that NCH had engaged in serious breaches of its legal responsibilities. NCH is a state-licensed charity whose jurisdiction includes Weeks Medical Center in Lancaster, Androscoggin Hospital in Berlin, Upper Connecticut Valley Hospital in Colebrook and North Country Home and Health Care and Hospice Agency.
“The investigative report cited NCH breaches of its fiduciary responsibilities including failure to follow its governing by-laws, and failure to appoint a Weeks Medical Center president.
“NCH’s board improperly allowed NCH management to violate NCH and WMC bylaws,” the report concluded. Executive Councilor Joseph Kenney noted that NCH management had captured its board: “Management is telling the board members what to do, which should be the other way around.”
“With most Week’s board members having resigned during perceived wrongdoing by NCH, the Attorney General’s Office decided to appoint an Independent Board Governance Consultant, a former judge, to oversee mandated reforms at North Country Healthcare. But patients find the report to be incomplete and are asking the AG to do still more.
“CTU investigators failed to interview any of the disaffected patients, simply taking NCH’s claim that all were being cared for. Patients stress that the Office of the Attorney General is “legally obligated” to take remedial action regarding governance and patient care.
“Volunteer representatives of Weeks’ patients hope to meet soon with Attorney General Formella, as well as Councilor Kenney and State Senator David Rochefort, who have been instrumental in rectifying the quality of care and patient service at North Country Healthcare.
“We’re not done,” said former state legislator Tucker. “We need the Attorney General to play a strong role to protect North Country patients and the public.”
(Editor’s note: Retired journalist Barbara Tetreault does not report on North Country Healthcare issues.)
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