This innovative plan means that everything from emergency treatment and outpatient clinics to specialized inpatient psychiatric services remain available close to home.”

For generations, Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center and Carthage Area Hospital — two long-standing hospitals in Northern New York and founding members of the North Star Health Alliance (NSHA) — have served as cornerstones of healthcare for the rural communities of St. Lawrence, Jefferson, and Lewis Counties.

Since August 2022, they have partnered with the New York State Department of Health (DOH) on a stabilization plan that preserves rural healthcare in the North Country and lays the groundwork for a sustainable future.

Central to this transformation is a pioneering Ogdensburg campus where two separately licensed hospitals operate side by side under one roof — a first in New York State.

Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center (CHMC) now serves as a 40-bed inpatient psychiatric hospital, the first stand-alone, not-for-profit facility of its kind in the state, with dedicated units tailored to children, adolescents, and adults.

Adjacent to it, the Claxton-Hepburn Medical Campus (Claxton Campus) — a 25-bedacute care hospital managed by Carthage Area Hospital (CAH) — has completed the final steps for Critical Access Hospital status.

Although both share the address at 214 King St., Claxton Medical Campus (Suite A) and CHMC (Suite B), maintain independent entrances and clinical spaces, ensuring rigorous regulatory compliance, patient safety, and efficient use of existing infrastructure and resources.

Preserving Care, Jobs and Growth

For North Country residents, this innovative plan means that everything from emergency treatment and outpatient clinics to specialized inpatient psychiatric services remain available close to home.

By separating behavioral health and acute medical services, the two-hospital model not only maintains these vital offerings but also protects the livelihoods of hundreds of local healthcare professionals - honoring their years of dedication and preserving their pensions.

Financial stability flows from sharing back-office services and leadership across both campuses, reducing dependence on unpredictable subsidies.

At the same time, this shared framework lays the groundwork for a thoughtful expansion of services between Ogdensburg and Carthage.

Focused on the community’s core needs, the plan creates a foundation for sustainable, patient-centered growth that keeps quality-driven care firmly rooted in the North Country.

Collaboration Through the North Star Health Alliance

The North Star Health Alliance (NSHA) unites Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center (CHMC), Carthage Area Hospital (CAH), Claxton-Hepburn Medical Campus (Claxton Campus), North Country Orthopaedic Group (NCOG), and Meadowbrook Terrace (MBT) under a shared framework for leadership and service coordination.

Working under unified strategy and operational lines, NSHA fosters clinical integration, resource sharing, and joint planning - vital in a region where geography and limited resources can otherwise hinder access to care.

Our member organizations support over 1,800 jobs across the region and generate $307 million in annual economic activity.

In 2024 alone, NSHA facilities handled more than 332,500 outpatient appointments, 31,000 emergency-department visits, 5,000 hospital admissions, and welcomed 530 newborns into North Country families — all while ensuring essential services remain close to home.

By sharing infrastructure and streamlining workflows, NSHA not only delivers better clinical outcomes but also strengthens the region’s capacity to meet evolving healthcare needs — now and in the years to come.

Crucial Support from the Department of Health

In June 2024, the state’s Public Health and Health Planning Council voted unanimously to approve the dual-hospital plan, praising it as a model for other rural systems.

The Claxton Campus successfully completed its critical access survey on June 12, marking an important final milestone in the designation process.

This progress moves Claxton Campus, CAH and CHMC confidently into the next phase of our strategic plan, focused on strengthening rural healthcare access and sustainability across the North Country.

Additionally, this milestone stands as a testament to the partnership of Gov. Kathy Hochul and the state Department of Health (DOH).

Their unwavering support reflects a shared dedication to strengthening rural healthcare in the North Country.

From licensing to Certificate of Need processing, DOH’s engaged leadership has helped achieve key milestones and streamline the path through complex regulatory processes, giving local leaders the reassurance needed to pursue bold changes and fully realize stability for generations to come.

Building on that momentum, CHMC, CAH, and Claxton Campus were recently invited to apply for funding through Gov. Hochul’s visionary Safety Net Transformation Program (SNTP).

SNTP provides both capital and operating resources—along with regulatory flexibility—to safety-net hospitals in vulnerable communities, encouraging collaboration to improve access, equity, quality, and health outcomes while shoring up financial stability during major transitions.

At a time when many funding sources are being scaled back, the governor’s office is recognizing the urgent need to preserve access to care in rural New York communities.

For North Country residents, this support will enable essential facility upgrades and offset temporary revenue shortfalls as hospitals transition to Critical Access status.

Together, these efforts send a powerful message across New York that rural hospitals are valued and their success is a statewide priority.

By investing in this innovative model, the governor’s office and DOH have demonstrated their confidence in the region’s ability to maintain patient-centered, accessible care for generations to come.

With the final regulatory survey for Claxton Campus completed, close collaboration and continued support from Governor Hochul and the DOH will be crucial to achieve a seamless transition to support future growth and financial stability for one of the region’s largest healthcare systems.

Critical Access to Specialty Care

Working together, CHMC, CAH, and the Claxton Campus offer the region nationally recognized, accredited services supported by strong community partnerships.

At the Richard E. Winter Cancer Center — the area’s only dual-accredited cancer facility — patients benefit from advanced treatments such as Trilogy™ precision radiation therapy, as well as a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach in conjunction with the Breast Health Center.

The Rev. Thomas T. Patterson Wound Healing Center, the North Country’s sole Undersea & Hyperbaric Medical Society–accredited facility, provides innovative hyperbaric oxygen and other cutting-edge therapies to assist in healing.

The Dr. Ravinder N. Agarwal Renal Center ensures that individuals served by CHMC, CAH, or the Claxton Campus have access to flexible dialysis options, to include in-center hemodialysis, home dialysis, and peritoneal therapy offerings.

Additionally, our long-standing partnership with Fort Drum guarantees that military families have readily access to patient-centered obstetrics, and labor and delivery care (a healthcare offering otherwise not provided on the military installation).

Together, these specialty services — combined with our emergency room, surgical convenient care/walk-in, orthopedic, and pediatric care clinics — ensure access to quality treatment close to home, eliminating the need for patients to travel upwards of 60 miles for comparable care.

Looking to the Future

As we continue our collaboration with the DOH to support the transition of the Claxton Campus to Critical Access Hospital status, we want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the local and regional vendors who have stood by us during this financially challenging period.

Your unwavering support — reflected in your willingness to accommodate delayed payments, reduced rates, and tighter operating budgets — has made a tangible difference.

These sacrifices are not just gestures of goodwill; they are acts of shared purpose that directly contribute to the continuity of care for our communities.

By weathering the storm alongside us, you have shown that you understand what’s truly at stake: preserving accessible, high-quality healthcare for the North Country.

To our employees — your loyalty and hard work are the backbone of this organization.

Your perseverance through this past year of transformation has laid the foundation for a stronger, more stable future. These changes have not been easy, but your dedication has kept us moving forward.

Because of you, we’re not just preserving healthcare in the North Country — we’re building a resilient future rooted in service, access, and care.

This is not a story of cuts or closures — it is a story of communities, hospitals, and state leaders working together, committed to reimagine care for Northern New York for this and the next generations.

While many hospitals in our region are opting to cut vital healthcare services, we are choosing a different path. Through our partnership with the North Star Health Alliance, we’re able to share resources, expand specialty care, and strengthen care delivery across our communities.

This collaboration gives us the flexibility and stability to grow strategically — and your commitment brings that mission to life every day.

The North Star Health Alliance and all of its member organizations are fighting tirelessly for the future of healthcare in the region.

Without these transitions — and without the steadfast support of tDOH and Gov. Hochul — the future of healthcare in the North Country is truly at stake.

By keeping care local, safeguarding jobs and pensions, and strengthening collaborative partnerships, the North Star Health Alliance, governor’s office and the DOH are paving the path for a stronger, more resilient future in the North Country.

We remain resolute, because the health and future of our communities are worth protecting.