YOUR COMMENTS

Catholic Medical Center it's very name demands that all persons born and preborn at any stage of their LIFE can expect to receive the highest ethical standard of treatment administered by professionals who adhere to Catholic Teaching. The art of Healing demands an understanding of the dignity of the whole person-spiritual, physical, psychological and social. The superior Catholic hospital understands this and because of this excels beyond excellent science where healing takes place . A Catholic Healthcare institution respects EVERY human life. Catholic Healthcare demands DOING NO HARM. Let Catholic Medical Center remain CATHOLIC in its delivery of healthcare. No compromise, no merge!!!
- M Patricia Loiodice, Kittery, Me

The recent advisement about mammograms has a Dartmouth physician on it's board. If CMC/Dartmouth won't be doing mammograms, maybe all women will be going to the Eliott. His name is Allen J. Dietrich, M.D.
- Karen, Nashua

This is a takeover.. plain and simple.. it is important that the truth be heard.. if this goes through, CMC will no longer be a community Hospital, but part of a Mega-hospital
- John, Manchester

This is getting ridiculous.Let them have their way and stop the merger, affiliation etc. When CMC closes because it is no longer fiable financially then what.Where will all of these folks go for their health care.I also find it extremely interesting after reading Daves post that CMC's satellite practices provide family planning which these people are totally against.It seems to me that someone has to get their house in order before the start preaching to others
- Duncan Leary, bedford

I've followed this story from the start. I think the call for probate court review is reasonable. People being under oath will result in straight answers and getting to the truth.
- S L'Heureux, Manchester

Catholic principles like your unmarried, sexually active, pregnant teenager, otherwise known as knocked up, is not allowed to have her baby at CMC and they try to make her feel ashamed and sinful. Maybe she is but we need a hopsital to tell us that? While the nurses disagree but stay quiet to keep their jobs Course Manchester Public looks the other way while they lead New England in knocked up students Great job, MPS
- Paulie, Manchestuh

What happens when the Catholic hospital can not compete for health care dollars. No association - no Catholic hospital. DHMC has agreed to no abortions that is the bottom line. Other then that -wake up both the Eliott and CMC take care of people, provide free care if needed and are all about patient rights. Chaplans practice at both hospitals. I have been a patient at both, received communtion at both, received exceptional care at both. Wake up the holier then thou group - the issue is abortion and it will not be done at CMC - and premature babies will continue to be treated at Eliott neo-natal unit. If you want a Catholic Hospiital to survive this is the best deal they will get and be able to expand and provide beginning and end of life care.
- Bill, Manchester

I don't see the big deal short of abortion of why all the fuss about why Catholic principles should be followed. The medical practices owned by CMC such as Medical Group of Manchester, Queen City Medical, Webster Street Internal Medicine, etc., already don't follow those principles. The providers of those groups regularly prescribe birth control, administer injectable birth control in the offices, counsel patients, make referrals and authorize insurance referrals for services such as vasectomies and tubal ligations. Personally I don't see anything wrong with that- it should be the choice between patient and provider.
- Dave, Manchester

Karen Poza and Canon Lawyer Philip Gray made it very clear that CMC is in violation of 2 Canon Laws in hiring a non-Catholic as its CEO, since CMC is a "public juridic person" in the Catholic Church. What was amazing was Alyson Pitman Giles' retort. She said that the Bishop of Manchester was a Catholic, therefore, they had not violated Canon Laws 116 & 149. Then why isn't the Bishop of Manchester at these forums or even available to any of his flock to discuss this acquisition? She made it seem he's in charge of this whole business, so why is the one in charge not available?
- Mary, Manchester

At least Jamie from Manchester is up front about CMC and Dartmouth merging. Unfortunately, her bosses and the folks at DHMC continue to call it an "affiliation". Kudos to Jamie.
- Dave, Manchester

If you are a patient of DH does this mean you will be forced to get care at CMC if you need to go to the hospital?
- Maria, Manchester, NH

June,

You said this to Duncan:

"Your statement is judgmental and biased and therefore didn't really help the conversation."

The problem with your statement is every statement so far in this whole affair has been judgmental and biased.

Just look at the way the Union Leader reports it.. Everyone has an opinion and that opinion is slanted some how. Duncan is entitled to his opinion.

Everyone wants the Elliott to grow without any checks and balances and want to cry that CMC is growing with DHC.

For the record, I am a employee at CMC and quite happy about this merge.

Jamie
- Jamie, Manchester, NH

The bishop as a history of making 'bad decisions'. I cannot believe this man is not in jail.
- B, Manchester

Duncan..

Your statement is judgemental and biased and therefore didn't really help the conversation.

CMC is a medical building that is meant to be based, and has attempted to be based, around the idealogy of the Catholic church. There are serious contradictions to their ethics if they merge.

But the bigger point is....why does anyone care if they don't merge?

Let CMC do what they want...if they fail due to not merging, that's their own fault.

But DH trying to take over CMC is just money hungry and unnecessary. It's not about providing the best services...there are soooo many different medical resources all within a hour of Manchester..if that.

So calling people zealots and this and that really doesn't add any intelligence to the conversation...see it for what it's worth. Another money hungry association wanting to take over the other. CMC doesn't believe in killing babies. So leave them alone.
- June, Meredith

OK lets get straight to the point...If CMC cannot survive on its own and closes because this affliation dosent happen what then..Where will all of you people who are opposed go for health care? Is religon more important than a higher standard of services. Religon and misguided Ideology have no place in this argument people. Its about quality of care to all people not just those of a certain reigous persuation.Whats more important two outstanding hospitals or the narrow minded beliefs of one out of touch group of zealots
- Duncan Leary, Bedford

Thanks to Alderman-elect Greazzo for listening to us. But Alderman Russ Oulette supports DH. Anybody want to launch a recall petition or at least run against him next time? (He was unopposed in the apt ward- where Ted probably lives). Move to his ward!
- Kelly, Manchester

D-H wants more business where the money is, but why do they need to seize control? They affiliate with Concord Hospital without taking control. And Jack, we don't want CMC to be huge, just great.
- Todd, Manchester

It's ironic that patients speaking for D-H about the excellent care they received shows why this affiliation is NOT needed. Manchester area residents already have access to great care- CMC, Elliot, D-H clinics, BASC, Concord, Derry, Exeter, Nashua, and Boston are all within an hours drive. Even Keene, Hanover and W-D are just over an hour. What we don't need is others running our Catholic hospital.
- Allie, Bedford

...Do it, don't do it, I really don't care-as long as we don't have to hear from Wayne Goldner.....
- Jim B, Manchester, NH

I was at the forum and offer some observations...

1) In most if not all cases the speakers in favor of the affiliation vis a vis merger reported positive health outcomes and/or great medical care. This tells me the status quo is sufficiently working.

2) The speakers in favor were in most cases either clients of DH services or salary drawing staffers from DH or CMC, and therefore biased.

3) In opening remarks, we heard the affiliation had nothing to do with profits and money, yet they brought along the DH Chief Financial Officer to monitor to proceedings.

4) The speakers in favor made their strongest complaint about the need for "convenience" and "choice," the very same words used to convict some 48 million unborn babies to death.

5) Obviously the leadership of DH and CMC each desperately want something from the other. Proverbs 12:12 says thieves are jealous of each others' loot, but the righteous produce their own good fruit. CMC should focus on their own capabilities without limits and constraints.

If the Bishop ignores all the warning signs of disaster for CMC and their awesome "Mom's Place", then I hope this wink-and-nod compromise will be stopped in secular probate court.

Where there is no vision, the people (including babies) perish.
- Ed Holdgate, Sandown, NH

I would suggest everyone go to Holy Family in Lawrence, its the pits. My wife gave birth to our son there, its a run down looking hospital. After our experience there I will never go back to that place
My concern is the outcome of this merger with Dartmouth-Hitchcock
- Frank, Londonderry

It is most unfortunate that Catholic Medical Center, Ovide Lamontagne and Dr. Cataldo on behalf of the Bishop and Catholic Medical Center (conflict of interest) continue to refute the truth about the Canonical expectations of a Catholic Institution like Catholic Medical Center. The CEO of Catholic Medical Center has mis-spoken and made treacherous public statements about what is and what is not allowed at our Catholic Hospital. It is the obligation of the Faithful to challenge and correct these mis-statements and appeal to the Hierarchy for remedy. Dr. Cataldo continues to make ethical pronouncements with little or no medical background. Attorney Lamontagne has helped to write quite a stack of documents for this transaction, and his Firm has been paid handsomely in millions of dollars from CMC's trust funds over the last 5 years. The documents are clear and state: Dartmouth Hitchcock Health will be the SOLE member of Catholic Medical Center Health System. Dartmouth Hitchcock is not Catholic, and has promised Planned Parenthood that nothing will change in the way they deliver women's health care. Something is wrong--very very wrong. Probate Court is the only answer now.
- Hon. Barbara J. Hagan, Manchester, NH 03102

The economy stinks, unemployment is high and we pay to many taxes. So who cares if CMC and Dartmouth merge? Pleople with too much time on their hands. Mind your our business.
- Ted, Manchester

It's all about big business and dollars and cents.

With the Elliot expanding in a big big way, CMC needs to keep up otherwise they will be back where they were in the 80's, a rinky dink little hospital with no expansion to really show from it other than a building across the street and a parking garage they just built.

There doctor network they have now is, is so small compared to the Elliot they need this whatever you want to call it with Dartmouth and Dartmouth needs it to expand into the southern part of the state so they can compete and keep their presence as the biggies from Boston move north of the Massachusetts border.

Now does everyone understand? Keep throwing this under the bus and there will be no CMC.
- Jack Alex, Manchester

Don't these large transactions usually go through the court system? Seems reasonable to me, especially with so much controversy.
- Ray, Manchester