RECEIVE INFORMATION AND NEW CARDS AHEAD OF THE CHANGE. NEW HAMPSHIRE IS PUBLISHING ITS ANNUAL REPORT ON RURAL HEALTH IN THE GRANITE STATE TODAY. LAWMAKERS SIFTED THROUGH THE FINDINGS ON THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. THE REPORT NOTES THAT IN SOME RURAL PARTS OF THE STATE, ACCESS TO PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIANS IS ACTUALLY BETTER THAN IN MORE POPULATED AREAS. BUT PATIENTS ARE NOT NECESSARILY UTILIZING THAT ACCESS. CLINICS. THEY’RE USING THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS AS THEIR PRIMARY CARE PROVIDER, WHICH AS WE KNOW, IT’S EXPENSIVE. IT CLOGS UP THE SYSTEM. SO I THINK THERE’S SOME WORK TO BE DONE THERE BASED ON WHAT WE’RE HEARING. AND SENATOR DAVID ROCHEFORT, WHO REPRESENTS THE MOST RURAL PART OF THE STATE IN THE NORTH COUNTRY, SAYS HE’S EAGER TO SEE HO
Report says many in rural New Hampshire use emergency departments for primary care
Updated: 5:59 PM EDT Jun 26, 2026
New Hampshire is publishing its triannual report on rural health in the Granite State.Lawmakers on the Health and Human Services Oversight Committee sifted through the findings on Friday.The report notes that in some rural parts of the state, access to primary care physicians is better than in more populated areas, but patients are not necessarily utilizing that access. “They’re using the emergency departments as their primary care provider, which, as we know, is expensive. It clogs up the system,” said state Sen. David Rochefort, R-Littleton. “So, I think there’s some work to be done there.”Rochefort, who represents the most rural part of the state in the North Country, said he’s eager to see how the new GO-NORTH rural health initiative can help address the issues.
CONCORD, N.H. —
New Hampshire is publishing its triannual report on rural health in the Granite State.
Lawmakers on the Health and Human Services Oversight Committee sifted through the findings on Friday.
The report notes that in some rural parts of the state, access to primary care physicians is better than in more populated areas, but patients are not necessarily utilizing that access.
“They’re using the emergency departments as their primary care provider, which, as we know, is expensive. It clogs up the system,” said state Sen. David Rochefort, R-Littleton. “So, I think there’s some work to be done there.”
Rochefort, who represents the most rural part of the state in the North Country, said he’s eager to see how the new GO-NORTH rural health initiative can help address the issues.