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By MARK HAYWARD

New Hampshire Union Leader

12 hours, 15 minutes ago

MANCHESTER – Catholic Medical Center and Dartmouth-Hitchcock Manchester yesterday said they will help open a clinic early next year on the West Side to provide free and reduced-cost medical care to the poor and uninsured.

Representatives from the two organizations said the West Side Neighborhood Health Center will offer family practice, obstetrical, dental and mental-health services in a CMC-owned office building adjacent to the hospital. The clinic is scheduled to open Jan. 5.

The independent clinic will begin with the equivalent of three or four full-time health care workers and could grow to 6,000 patients in three years, said Steven Paris, medical director for Dartmouth-Hitchcock Manchester.

For CMC, the clinic represents the hospital's first partnership with a community health clinic in eight years. In 2000, CMC pulled funding for the Manchester Community Health Center, after the hospital learned the federally funded clinic provides contraception and abortion referrals.

But three years ago, CMC joined the Manchester Sustainable Access Project, a collaboration of hospitals, providers and public-health officials that has obtained grants to improve access to health care in the greater Manchester area. One of the group's main objectives is the creation of a clinic on the West Side.

Tina Legere, CMC vice president of operations, said the new West Side clinic will comply with the ethical and religious directives of the Catholic Church regarding health care.

The Diocese of Manchester is aware of the new clinic, Legere said.

Paris said clinic workers will be able to tell a patient where to obtain birth control and medication, such as the morning-after pill, if asked.

"We (would) give a referral out to the patient. We (would) educate the patient on the referral," he said. Likewise, an obstetrician would give a patient "information on resources, on options" if she were to ask for an abortion.

"If you don't provide that type of care, you can let them know where that's provided," Paris said.

Once it is established, the clinic will attempt to be designated as a federal quality look-alike health center, Paris said. As such, it will be able to receive higher reimbursements for Medicaid patients and low-cost pharmaceuticals.

Paris said the clinic will provide only primary care, and hospitals and providers will continue to provide specialty and hospital care to the indigent. He said the clinic will make only a "minuscule dent" in the $24 million and $5 million in annual charity care that CMC and Dartmouth-Hitchcock provide, respectively.

Eventually, the clinic could merge with the Manchester Community Health Center, which moved to the former Dunn Furniture building on Hollis Street earlier this year.

"It was left open. In the future, this may be one corporate entity," Paris said.

Elliot Hospital provides $300,000 a year to Manchester Community Health Center. Yesterday, Elliot president Doug Dean said he's happy that CMC is returning to the task of supporting clinics.

In the past, CMC has said Catholic teachings prevented it from partnering with the existing clinic, Dean said.

"I'm thrilled they found a way to do so," he said, adding "I don't think I fully understand it."

YOUR COMMENTS

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Yes, Mr. Dean, I don't fully understand it either. If abortion is intrinsically evil (and it is), how can referring for abortion NOT be cooperating with evil?

- Robin, Bow

Kudos to CMC. A clinic like this is a great thing for the Manchester community. I am happy they are overcoming the roadblocks that prevented them from partnering in the past.

- KP, Nashua

I think this is a wonderful service for the poor and uninsured!

I'm sure that the Dartmouth Hitchcock employees will be counseling patients on options. While CMC may financially and morally support this endeavor they will not be involved in providing birth control and abortion counseling to women. What they will do is provide a very important service to the West Side community.

- Marie, Concord

I think it's a wonderful idea for CMC to help people with birth control. There's enough mouths to feed in this world. Birth control is the smart way to go!

Great work Catholic Medical Center!

- C. Haddock, Manchester NH

I cannot believe that someone representing CATHOLIC Medical Center would speak of telling someone where to go for an abortion. That is just absurd--- and morally wrong.

- Heather, Manchester

I never thought I'd live to see the day when CMC helped people get birth control and abortions.

- Jeane, Manchester

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