Coos County, NH – April 3, 2026 – In late January and early February 2026, North Country Healthcare (NCH) held a series of listening sessions in Jefferson, Berlin, Lancaster, Bethlehem, and Colebrook to gather community input to inform current practices and future planning within the health system. These sessions brought together patients, staff, partners, and North Country residents to share experiences, ask questions, and reflect on strengths and challenges in rural healthcare. The sessions were moderated by New Hampshire (NH) Listens, a program of the University of New Hampshire Carsey School of Public Policy.
“What stood out to me most was the level of community engagement,” NCH CEO Tom Mee said. “If we’re going to be successful, it has to be in real partnership with the communities we serve. That means listening, communicating, and following through.”
The sessions drew more than 325 participants across the locations, with some smaller, like the 40 or so attendees in Jefferson at the Bellevue Barn, and others larger, with over 100 attendees at sessions in Lancaster and Berlin. Titled Community Conversations, each session followed a similar format, with introductions from NH Listens and NCH Leadership followed by small-group conversations facilitated by NH Listens representatives. These small groups produced themes and written questions to be addressed by NCH Leadership in the final question-and-answer period. This structure allowed for constructive conversation and the consolidation of themes.
The five listening sessions produced 244 individual written questions or statements submitted on cards to the question-and-answer periods. These 244 submissions were collated into themes by NH Listens after each session. The themes that emerged included Communication, Transparency, & Trust (26%); Billing, Customer Service & Call Center Transitions (18%); Provider Recruitment, Retention & Workforce Stability (14%); General Barriers to Healthcare Access (13%); Specific Service Needs (12%); Access to Care & Wait Times (10%); and Collaboration Opportunities with Community Partners (7%).
Across all sessions, community members described challenging experiences with scheduling, provider transitions, and communication processes. Participants consistently shared appreciation for dedicated staff and expressed interest in clearer updates and stronger coordination across services. NCH Leadership expressed commitment to hearing concerns, addressing the issues presented, improving communication, and providing further opportunities for continued community conversation.
“Each concern is an opportunity,” Mee continued. “Rural healthcare is complex, and I’m proud of the care our teams provide every day. Our job is to keep improving how we deliver it.”
Mee spoke of the preoccupation with improving processes as a core tenet of NCH’s vision.
“We’re focused on identifying what works best and doing it consistently across the system,” Mee said. “No matter where they find care at NCH, patients should know what to expect. That’s about safety and reliability.”
NCH is looking forward to continuing the conversation with the community. First, NCH will host a series of Open Houses in May 2026, offering meet-and-greets with NCH leaders, tours, and a behind-the-scenes look at the hospitals. The Open Houses are from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Monday, May 11 at Androscoggin Valley Hospital, Tuesday, May 12 at Weeks Medical Center, and Thursday, May 14 at Upper Connecticut Valley Hospital.
A second set of community listening sessions will take place in June 2026: Thursday, June 18, 9:00 a.m. to 11 a.m. in Colebrook; Friday, June 19, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Lancaster; Monday, June 22, 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. hosted virtually; and Tuesday, June 23, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in Berlin. Locations in each town will be announced in the coming weeks. A third set of listening sessions is scheduled for October 2026.
“While somewhat challenging at times, the listening sessions are incredibly valuable to understand the perspective of our communities. We need their input, and we want to hear more,” said Mee. “We’re in this together, and I’m confident in what we’re doing. At the end of the day, there is profound gratitude for having the opportunity to share our vision, and to learn from those we care for.”
For additional opportunities to provide NCH with feedback and input, the NCH Patient & Family Advisory Council (PFAC) is now recruiting members. “The NCH Patient and Family Advisory Council serves as a structured partnership between patients, families, and hospital leadership,” explained NCH Director of Patient Experience Joanne McCourt. “This will help improve care experience, safety, communication, and community trust across our three hospitals and North Country Home Health & Hospice Agency.”
NCH is seeking patients, caregivers, and community leaders to join the PFAC. For more information, please contact [email protected].
To read the full Winter 2026 North Country Healthcare Listening Sessions report prepared by NH Listens, or to share feedback with North Country Healthcare, visit northcountryhealth.org/nch-listens/.