News & Events

As we close at this year, NCHC’s Senior leadership Team and Board of Directors wanted to share a special message with you.

Wishing everyone a happy, healthy and safe New Year!

Want to get tested?

We’re here for you, but due to the Holiday Season, Northern Counties Health Care wanted to let you know that our additional testing centers will be closed on 12/23/20, 12/24/20, 12/25/20, 12/30/20 and 12/31/20.

Our Hardwick location will be open and available for testing on 1/1/2021 from 9:00a.m.-12:00p.m.!

We’ll be open normal hours on all other scheduled days! Walk-ins are welcome but if you’d like to make an appointment click here:https://bit.ly/3qjdOHa

Vermont is experiencing a surge in COVID-19 cases, but our doors are still open and we are still committed to seeing our patients.

Please let us know if you are at higher risk of COVID-19 due to exposure, travel, or illness. This may include travel outside of the state or symptoms of illness such as fever, cough, congestion, headache, or quarantine due to exposure to a household member with COVID-19.

Northern Counties Health Care has Respiratory Care Clinics with enhanced air filtration systems at all of our Health Centers in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and for the safety of all of our staff, friends, family and fellow community members.

If you have any questions about your care with Northern Counties Health Care, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

St. Johnsbury, VT (November 28, 2020)– Northern Counties Health Care (NCHC) and Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital (NVRH) are pleased to announce the grand opening of Northern Express Care – St. Johnsbury on Monday, November 30, 2020. Located at the corner of Eastern Avenue and Railroad Street, Northern Express Care will provide immediate, walk-in primary care access to community members requiring care.

“With no appointment necessary, Northern Express Care will provide community members and visitors with the care they need, when they need it, and regardless of their ability to pay,” said Michael Costa, Chief Executive Officer of NCHC. “Community partnerships are a real strength of the Northeast Kingdom, and we are proud to partner with the outstanding team at Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital (NVRH) to expand access to health care services in our region.”

Shawn Tester, Chief Executive Officer of NVRH, said “NVRH is dedicated to improving the health of our communities, and Northern Express Care will provide people with both immediate care and the ability to establish a relationship with a primary care provider in the area, creating a pathway towards better health and wellness.” Tester added, “NVRH is proud to partner with NCHC to provide expanded hours to meet the needs of the community.”

Chris Towne, Chief Strategy Officer at NCHC added, “We have put together an excellent team of care providers to operate Northern Express Care – St. Johnsbury. Community members should expect Northern Express Care to be open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and on Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. providing a convenient health care option for individuals seeking assistance with minor illnesses or injuries including sprains, bumps and bruises, allergies, respiratory illnesses, and vaccinations.”

NCHC encompasses six community health centers, three dental centers, and a certified home health care & hospice division providing a full spectrum of quality, affordable, and compassionate health care services to patients of all ages, throughout the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. For more information, visit www.nchcvt.org. NCHC is supported in part by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number H80CS00632. This information or content and conclusion are those of the author and should not be constructed on the official or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government.

Pictured: Northern Express Care providers Ben Tipton, Physician Assistant and Allison Ebrahimi Gold, Nurse Practitioner standing in front of Northern Express Care – St. Johnsbury.

On November 9^th, Northern Counties Health Care (NCHC) had an employee at the Hardwick Area Health Center test positive for COVID-19. This was the first employee to test positive since the pandemic began. The employee began quarantine immediately, and Northern Counties contacted the Vermont Department of Health. Together, the Vermont Department of Health and NCHC identified six patients that will be contacted by the State as part of routine contact tracing. NCHC Medical staff called these patients last night to explain the situation.

“Being honest and transparent is essential to maintaining the trust between a health care organization and its patients and communities,” said Dr. Sarah Morgan, Medical Director of NCHC and a physician at the Hardwick Area Health Center. “We are committed to providing our communities with access to care during the pandemic while being forthright about COVID’s impact on our team and services.”

The Hardwick Area Health Center remains open and patient visits continue. “Patient safety is our first priority,” said Michael Costa, CEO of Northern Counties Health Care. “Northern Counties has taken extraordinary steps to promote safety while maintaining access to care, including offering COVID-19 tests to any staff member at any time for any reason.” Costa added, “we found this case because the employee asked for a test and got one despite having no symptoms: it is a case of vigilance and planning paying off.”

Northern Counties will continue to work with the Vermont Department of Health to make sure any affected community members and employees get the testing and care they need. Updates will be offered to the public on an as needed basis via our website, www.nchcvt.org, and our Facebook page. Any patient with questions should call their local health center.

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