Brattleboro Memorial Hospital receives $4 million donation

In September, BMH was notified that it had secured funding through Vermont’s Rural Health Transformation Program.

Brattleboro Memorial Hospital has received a $4 million gift from Willy Buhlmann, the founder of Swiss Precision Turning, a contribution the hospital says will bolster its finances and support access to care in the region.

The money will go into BMH’s long-term investment account, where hospital leaders say it will help reinforce the organization’s financial base as it continues its turnaround effort. Administrators said the donation will not erase the hospital’s broader fiscal problems, but they described it as an important show of support for the future of local health care.

BMH has struggled with losses for years, posting a negative bottom line every year since 2017 except 2019. In August, Dr. Elizabeth McLarney told state regulators that the hospital’s financial troubles had developed over multiple years rather than as a single recent setback. Earlier projections had expected a $500,000 gain in fiscal year 2025, but new leadership later reported an operating loss of $16 million. After additional changes, the hospital’s fiscal year 2026 operating loss was projected at about $9.5 million, and this year’s budget now shows a $7.1 million loss, which hospital leaders say reflects progress.

Hospital officials have been working on a broader recovery plan that includes staffing adjustments, operational efficiencies, more appointment availability, better coding and charge capture, and efforts to increase the number of births delivered at BMH. Updated FY26 projections now anticipate more births than previously expected. The hospital also backed away from a plan to close its birthing center.

In September, BMH was notified that it had secured funding through Vermont’s Rural Health Transformation Program. That support will help the hospital explore new approaches to obstetric and birthing services. Leaders also plan to keep working with state and federal lawmakers on payment reform and on possible models such as Critical Access Hospital and Federally Qualified Health Center status.

Buhlmann, who came to the United States from Switzerland 56 years ago, founded Swiss Precision in 1990. The company was later acquired in 2023 by Geokon, a New Hampshire-based engineering and manufacturing company. The hospital said his gift reflects both gratitude for the opportunities he found in the area and a long-standing connection to the community where he has lived and worked for more than 50 years.

David Sanville, BMH’s interim chief executive officer, said the donation represents a major investment in the hospital and in health care across the region. Gina Pattison, the hospital’s chief of staff and head of fundraising and donor relations, said Buhlmann has been a steady supporter of BMH and recently contacted the hospital about making a meaningful contribution. She said those discussions centered on the institution’s future and its role in the community.

BMH said support from individuals, families, businesses and organizations remains essential to sustaining services and planning ahead. More information is available at bmhvt.org/giving/donate-online.