The proposed formal affiliation between the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Clinic and Catholic Medical Center in Manchester has come under fire as pro-life and pro-choice advocates have questioned how the new relationship will affect standing policies on abortion and end-of-life care. The intent to affiliate was announced in February.
Jason Aldous, media relations manager for DHMC, said neither facility will change the services offered -- including contraception and pregnancy termination policies. The two organizations will also be managed separately, Aldous said, and the affiliation will principally involve expanding access to new services.
Abortions are performed at DHMC in Lebanon, but not at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Clinic, a multi-specialty physician group that is part of the medical center.
Dawn Touzin, senior vice president of policy and strategy for Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, said in an interview with The Dartmouth that her organization is concerned about several issues, including emergency contraception, birth control, abortion, end-of-life health care requirements and fertility issues.
"We have not seen the documents yet," Touzin said. "All that is [public] is the letter of intent, which has some worrisome language. We are waiting to see what the documents look like that will govern the transaction to assess more fully."
Touzin said she has been told that documents are tentatively planned for release in mid-July.
Planned Parenthood is advocating that the state attorney general's office review the transaction to ensure that the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Clinic does not change services central to its mission that may conflict with the policies of the Catholic Church, Touzin said. The attorney general could legally bind the clinic to continue to provide these services, she said.
"There is cause for concern, and we have been receiving reassurance at DHMC that services will not be affected, but from our experience with the Catholic Church, their dogma does not provide for the level of access to health care services that we promote," Touzin said.
Kathleen Souza, a former state legislator and a board member of New Hampshire Right to Life, said she is also concerned about "the life issues," including stem cell research, abortion, destruction of unfit embryos, living wills and power of attorney.
Dartmouth-Hitchcock doctors have testified in opposition to pro-life legislation, which Souza said could be problematic for any future affiliation.
"There would be a huge problem of credibility if these two sides are partners and then are opposing each other in the legislature," Souza said. "We would appear to be schizophrenic on issues."
Souza touted the skills of Dartmouth-Hitchcock doctors, and said she would support the affiliation of departments that do not offer services contrary to the Catholic pro-life ethic. She added that she does not believe the general affiliation will prove beneficial.
"I have no problem with those kinds of affiliation, but to do the umbrella, bringing in all the Dartmouth-Hitchcock doctors on the issues we are really protective of -- beginning and end-of-life issues -- we don't see how we can merge," Souza said.
Souza said she is also concerned about Dartmouth-Hitchcock Clinic doctors giving women referrals for abortions, even if the procedures are not performed on site. Dartmouth-Hitchcock doctors have said they do not intend to change their practices, she said.
"If you partner and give them credibility, it is a weak moral argument to say, 'We'll do it under a different roof, so we won't be culpable,'" Souza said. "I'm upset our own diocese is taking this tactic."
Souza said she does not believe she is "getting the straight story," despite several meetings with Dartmouth-Hitchcock and CMC officials, lawyers and doctors.
"It is so clear to most of us that this is not a good thing, that this is the unholy alliance, the way they're working it," she said.
The affiliation is part of an effort to increase access to medical care for residents of the Manchester area, CMC spokeswoman Gail Winslow-Pine said in an e-mail to The Dartmouth.
"Any definitive agreement entered into on behalf of CMC will be compliant with the Ethical and Religious Directives of the Roman Catholic Church," she said.
Winslow-Pine declined to comment further.
