Local doctor named NH Pediatrician of the Year
December 20, 2020BERLIN The New Hampshire Children s Trust congratulates board member Dr. Brian Beals for being named Pediatrician of the Year by the New Hampshire Pediatric Society.
Dr. Beals has lived in the Berlin-Gorham area for the past 25 years, and currently practices at Coös County Family Health Services and as the pediatric medical director at nearby Androscoggin Valley Hospital. Despite the physical distance between pediatric subspecialty services, Beals has developed several niche areas to enhance his practice in a region that historically has been undeserved.
Dr. Beals is a provider, teacher, and advocate for both children and other professionals in his field. He remains a valued resource in his community, and goes above and beyond to provide exceptional care in the North Country region. The Children s Trust is honored to celebrate him and his achievements.
North Country Healthcare hospitals receiving COVID-19 vaccines
December 20, 2020REGION As part of North Country Healthcare s (NCH) commitment to best ensure the health and wellbeing of our communities, NCH hospitals (Androscoggin Valley Hospital, Upper Connecticut Valley Hospital, Weeks Medical Center) anticipate receiving a limited supply of COVID-19 vaccinations as early as this week, with administration to begin shortly thereafter.
New Hampshire received a limited, initial allotment of the vaccine earlier this week. That allotment was then disbursed to several regions of the State. Initial doses are part of the Phase 1a vaccination plan, which incorporates at-risk health workers, older adults in residential care settings, and first responders. Healthcare providers and staff are appropriately tiered based on their level of patient care, age, and potential risk factors. Subsequent vaccination beyond Phase 1a will occur as supplies allow.
As the general public remains three or four months away from having an available coronavirus vaccine, those local community members who work on the front lines and are at greatest risk are now being vaccinated with doses that arrived in New Hampshire this week.
âAt LRH, we received our first allotment this week and we expect a larger allotment next week,â Ed Duffy, chief medical officer at Littleton Regional Healthcare, said Thursday. âA fair amount of vaccines have been distributed to the hospitals.ââ
Some LRH staff were vaccinated beginning on Wednesday.
âItâs all members of our staff who are directly taking care of patients who could have COVID or do have COVID-19,â said Duffy. âI donât know how much they will send us next week, but if they send us a fair amount, weâll be able to get most of our staff done by the end of the year, which is good. That allows our group to be immune and able to stay healthy and be available to