EXETER Synergy Health & Fitness will close at the end of the year for 14 months for construction of a comprehensive musculoskeletal center.

Hospital officials say Synergy Health & Fitness will close on Dec. 1, 2012 and will reopen with the new musculoskeletal center in the spring of 2014.

The renovation project is a result of the Seacoast regions growing need for musculoskeletal services, the hospital said in a statement released on Wednesday.

The Synergy Health & Fitness building is located on the hospitals campus.

By offering clinical specialty services including orthopaedics, podiatry, rheumatology, neurology, neurosurgery, comprehensive rehabilitation; and alternative medicine, the musculoskeletal center will focus on effectively and efficiently evaluating and treating bone, joint, and muscle conditions, the hospital statement said. Synergy will continue to offer medically-based fitness programs.

All of the approximately 3,000 Synergy members were notified this week about the temporary closure in a letter mailed to their homes.

Patient-related services currently provided in the Synergy building, including acupuncture, massage, nutrition, cancer Well-fit program, cardiac rehabilitation, and physical/occupational rehabilitation (AthletiCare) will be temporarily relocated to another building on the Exeter Hospital campus during the construction period.

Hospital officials said approximately five full-time, 27 part-time, and 53 per diem Synergy staff will be impacted by the temporary closure on Dec. 1.

These staff members have received six months notice, during which time they will be provided with extensive job search assistance, the hospital statement said. Some of the impacted staff may be able to transfer to positions elsewhere in the organization. After the Dec. 1 closing date, we will provide salary and benefits continuation for a set period of time to those who have not secured another position. Current Synergy staff will have first rights of reemployment when the facility reopens.

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Synergy health center to close for renovations