MANCHESTER, N.H. Community members voiced their concerns on Monday about the proposed affiliation between Catholic Medical Center and the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Clinic the multi-specialty group physician practice affiliated with Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center at the New Hampshire Institute of Art here during the third and final open forum on the issue. The proposed affiliation has come under fire due to the organizations' disparate policies on issues like abortion. The affiliation would allow CMC to access more specialists, and the clinic would gain a hospital presence in the Manchester area.
"We are looking to provide the best health care for as many people as possible," Dartmouth-Hitchcock Clinic President Thomas Colacchio said at the meeting.
Critics expressed reservations about clinic policies that contradict Catholic Canon law, which governs members of the Catholic faith. The clinic makes abortion referrals, and abortions are performed at DHMC. Abortions are not permitted by the Catholic Church.
"We have a memorandum that was signed by Dr. Colacchio that states that physicians in the Manchester area are not allowed to perform abortions," CMC President Alyson Giles said. "Again, there will be no abortions performed at the CMC."
Opponents of the affiliation challenged Giles' leadership, saying that she is unable to understand the Catholic mission because she is not a member of the Church.
Several speakers cited the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services, stating that the affiliation would cause CMC to be in direct contradiction of those directives. Directive 24 that states that a Catholic institution will not honor an advanced directive that is contrary to Catholic teaching.
"The president and CEO does not have to be Catholic, but they must understand and embrace the Catholic mission," Giles said.
Both parties will continue to work with the regulatory and due diligence process that involves federal and state review, Giles said.
"We will continue to keep the Bishop of Manchester, who is the acting spokesperson of the Catholic community, informed of any changes to the conditions of affiliation," Giles said. "Both respective boards for both organizations will consider this input and conduct a thorough review to see what amendments are appropriate."
After the vote of the boards, a final version of the agreement will be published and submitted to the New Hampshire attorney general for final approval sometime in the first quarter of 2010.
"I am passionate about the Catholic Medical Center and I am only looking out for its best interests," Giles said.
Some attendees questioned the proposed affiliation's purpose, saying that the acquisition could place CMC under DHMC's control and is ultimately unnecessary.
"CMC can withstand the worst of financial storms for the next 20 years," attendee Andy Martell said.
Several supporters argued that making appropriate health care services available close to home could help families stay together during treatment.
Although CMC has provided health care services to the community for the past five years through its informal collaboration with the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Clinic, present circumstances have made affiliation necessary, Giles said.
"In the face of major changes in Washington in regards to health care policies, we have to prepare for it through integration," Giles said. "That is the only way we can continue to provide the community with great health care services."
Officials from both CMC and the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Clinic said that the affiliation would increase health care availability without raising costs. The affiliation's supporters said that community members should prioritize the expansion of health care over religious issues.
"This affiliation will increase access to care, increase access to choice, increase and maintain talent in the community," Joseph Pepe, CMC's chief medical officer, said.
