Catholic Medical Center (CMC) officially joined HCA Healthcare on February 1. A combination was necessary to preserve the 130-year-old hospital beloved by so many in Manchester. As a Catholic and Granite Stater, I am deeply honored to be part of the next chapter of CMC’s significant history.
More than a year ago, HCA Healthcare identified CMC as a strong cultural fit within our network, recognizing shared values and a mission that aligns seamlessly with our own. HCA Healthcare has a strong record of not only respecting but embracing the Catholic identity of a hospital when it enters a partnership, as demonstrated in the last 12 years since Mercy Hospital became part of HCA Healthcare. We share the same commitment when it comes to protecting and embracing CMC’s Catholic identity, ensuring that its Catholic mission and values thrive for generations to come.
Strategic planning and preparations for meeting the growing healthcare demand are already underway. HCA Healthcare is taking bold and essential steps to ensure the hospital is well-equipped for the future by making key investments that began on day one. We have identified longer-term infrastructure projects in addition to immediate investments in technology to support and elevate CMC’s offerings, including oncology, emergency, cardiology and women’s services. Through these investments, such as upgrading operating rooms, the emergency department and patient room furniture—including labor and delivery sleeper sofas, birthing lights and more—we will improve access to high-quality care here in New Hampshire and expand the hospital’s service line growth.
On day one, we were excited to immediately begin equipping CMC with additional state-of-the-art medical supplies and technology to improve the patient experience. A wide array of equipment was deployed throughout the hospital, including stretchers, ultrasound imaging tables, ventilators and other essential medical devices. This equipment is critical to enhancing the highest-quality patient care, supporting our medical team, and ensuring CMC is fully prepared to meet the diverse needs of its patients.
In the first year, HCA Healthcare will make critical investments in CMC’s facilities, focusing on much-needed infrastructural updates. CMC is currently challenged to meet its daily operating needs due to the condition of the current central utility plant. Funding the construction of a new plant will stabilize the hospital’s critical electrical and mechanical needs. Modernizing these systems will equip the hospital to provide more high-quality patient care. Over 10 years and through a $200 million capital infusion, HCA Healthcare will continue to upgrade facility needs and replace outdated and underperforming technology, reinforcing our long-term commitment to the region's health.
Our pledge goes beyond a capital infusion for essential resources and technology. We remain focused on CMC's long-term viability and have a vision that extends far into the future. While we ensure care providers have the tools they need now, we will simultaneously build what is necessary to enable CMC to have a long and promising future and meet Manchester's growing healthcare demands.
When our organizations chose to move forward together, our commitment extended to the entire community. CMC’s legacy of caring for the less fortunate will continue not only through the creation of a new Catholic foundation but also through our commitment to serving the needs of our community. This includes funding for programs like Healthcare for the Homeless and Poisson Dental Clinic and partnerships with the United Way and Granite YMCA, among others.
The partnership between HCA and CMC will bring together two healthcare providers united by a commitment to improving lives. Our sustained investments in CMC will strengthen its regional competitiveness and enhance its capacity to serve Manchester patients. This collaboration will improve patient outcomes and bolster the hospital’s resilience, ensuring it remains a vital healthcare resource for the community and continues to meet the demand for healthcare services at home in New Hampshire.
Building strong relationships within this community is essential to shaping CMC’s future. I look forward to getting out into Manchester, working closely with our partners, and hearing from those we serve. Together, we will strengthen and grow CMC to meet the evolving needs of this city and its people.
John Skevington is the Chief Executive Officer of Catholic Medical Center.