Aerial photo of Southwestern Vermont Medical Center in Bennington, VT.

BENNINGTON, Vt. – Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC) announced today that it has officially joined the Dartmouth Health system. The integration and affiliation is an important step in sustaining efficient, high-quality care for rural communities.

“This is a monumental achievement for our organization,” said Tom Dee, CEO and President of Southwestern Vermont Medical Center. “The Board of Trustees had the vision and foresight to help the long-term sustainability of SVMC through its integration and affiliation with Dartmouth Health. The patients of our regional communities will benefit significantly from the intellectual capital and system strength of Dartmouth Health. Our two organizations have enjoyed a longstanding relationship for over a decade, providing exceptional care to our communities. It’s only going to get better.”

The agreement, made official on July 1, 2023, making SVMC the sixth hospital member of Dartmouth Health, strengthens the relationship between the two health systems. Historically, joint programs included the formation of Dartmouth Hitchcock Putnam Physicians, expanded telemedicine, enhanced oncology services, and patient safety initiatives.

The formalized integration and affiliation provide for the sharing of additional resources, such as improved access to state-of-the-art technology, the latest in clinical research, and more than 2,000 of the region’s most distinguished physicians and providers. As a Dartmouth Health hospital, SVMC’s patients will experience improved access and expanded specialty care, including cancer treatments, orthopedics, and heart and vascular care.

“Rural health systems like ours are experiencing greater economic challenges than ever before, between a significant healthcare labor shortage, the high cost of contract labor, delayed hospital discharges due to staffing shortages at post-acute care facilities, rising demand for services and a growing ledger of uncompensated care. We know we can’t solve these problems alone, but working together we are stronger,” said Joanne M. Conroy, MD, CEO and President of Dartmouth Health. “Our partnership with Southwestern Vermont Medical Center will serve to fortify our critical healthcare institutions against the fluctuating challenges of the market, and we also believe it will strengthen and expand the services we already provide, through shared resources, and more collaboration between providers.”

In addition to SVMC in Bennington, Southwestern Vermont Health Care has clinical locations in Wilmington, Manchester, Pownal, and West Dover, VT, as well as Williamstown, MA, and Hoosick Falls, NY.

SVMC joins other Dartmouth Health members, including New Hampshire-based Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital and Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, Cheshire Medical Center in Keene, New London Hospital in New London, Mt. Ascutney Hospital and Health Center in Windsor, VT, Visiting Nurse and Hospice for Vermont and New Hampshire, and various Dartmouth Hitchcock Clinics across New Hampshire and Vermont.