Roark: Mass General Brigham is investing in the health and wellness of Seacoast region

For nearly 120 years, Wentworth-Douglass Hospital has been a cornerstone of our Seacoast community, providing compassionate care and medical excellence to generations of families. We have cared for our patients through times of joy and sorrow, triumphs and challenges, with an unwavering commitment to the well-being of our neighbors. It’s a legacy that continues today through every one of our nearly 3,500 employees.On their behalf, I felt it necessary to address the many inaccuracies in a recent column (in The Union Leader), and provide a clearer picture of Mass General Brigham’s ongoing commitment to our communities.

Locally, and nationally, healthcare is facing incredible challenges. Among the issues affecting our field are increased numbers of patients with more complex needs, capacity constraints, employee burnout, staffing shortages, and significant financial pressures – especially the cost of healthcare.

Our affiliation with the nonprofit Mass General Brigham system, which occurred to much-praise in 2017, ensured Wentworth-Douglass could align with a mission-based organization, strategically focused on delivering affordable care to the unique communities we serve.

And while some may wish to simply compare the healthcare landscape in New Hampshire to that of Massachusetts, as any Granite State resident knows, they are two vastly different worlds. In fact, hospitals in different states negotiate entirely different contracts with insurance companies and other payors. A more accurate and genuine comparison would be pricing among hospitals in a similar location - like Southern New Hampshire. As evidenced by the state’s NH HealthCost website, Wentworth-Douglass’ pricing is directly in line with other acute care hospitals in the area.

In fact, in the fall of 2022, Mass General Brigham undertook a comprehensive effort to reduce costs, successfully implementing a performance improvement plan that resulted in $197 million in savings.

Our focus remains, as it always has, right here in the Seacoast community, where we are expanding services that others have abandoned.

• As other hospitals ended their birthing and maternity services, we expanded our neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
• When other providers abandoned primary care in Rochester, we opened up a new location there.
• When an occupational care facility closed in Somersworth, we started our own program to support our local businesses.

Wentworth-Douglass’ affiliation with Mass General Brigham has also greatly enhanced the services we provide - supporting numerous new specialties, upgrading our facilities and technology, and providing greater access to specialized staff. Frequently, our patients do not have to travel for specialized care – a direct result of our affiliation. They benefit from world-class expertise right here in New Hampshire and the effects of curbing costs by sharing and spreading shared services across the enterprise.

Wentworth-Douglass has also grown our oncology and cardiology departments, and offers expansive behavioral health services as the Seacoast provider of the Doorway Program. Clinical affiliations with MGB have brought other key services to our community, including advanced heart failure care, teleneurology, and thoracic surgery. Just last month, we launched a pediatric hospitalist program.

And we are also working to expand access. We recently opened an ambulatory surgery center in Salem at Tuscan Village and more than 1,600 Massachusetts residents crossed the border in our first six months to seek treatment there – bringing a significant economic impact with them.

These efforts required innovative, strategic thinking to overcome the financial challenges associated with ensuring the best care remains accessible, affordable, and equitable. We have always been committed to caring for all who come through our doors, regardless of their ability to pay.

We also know that the health of our community extends beyond the walls of our hospital. We conduct a triennial Community Health Needs Assessment which allows us to strategically allocate hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants  to support local organizations engaged in critical programs to support at-risk youth, food insecurity, and first responders, among others.

Wentworth-Douglass Hospital has always been about neighbors taking care of neighbors. We are steadfast in our mission to serve our community with excellence and compassion. That commitment has never wavered and our affiliation with Mass General Brigham has only strengthened our ability to serve the Seacoast.

Darin Roark, RN, Of Madbury, is President and Chief Operating Officer, Wentworth-Douglass Hospital, part of the Mass General Brigham system.