State officials and Dartmouth-Hitchcock have resolved their dispute over staffing levels at New Hampshire Hospital. As part of that deal, Dartmouth-Hitchcock will pay for an outside review of care at the state's mental hospital.
Dartmouth-Hitchcock provides staff for New Hampshire Hospital, and under the $85,000 no-bid contract approved by the Executive Council staffing levels and patient care at the hospital will be reviewed by Joint Commission Resources, an Illinois-based non-profit. Dartmouth-Hitchcock will pay for it.
The state will also get a $75,000 credit against the $36 million dollar hospital staffing contract it awarded Dartmouth last year.
According to Governor Sununu, the deal puts to rest what had been a bitter dispute.
“There’s new leadership at New Hampshire Hospital, there is new leadership at Dartmouth-Hitchcock, and I have no doubt its going to be a very positive relationship going forward with open communication and a true partnership.”
Under the settlement the outside review will be complete in 3 months and remain confidential.