b'24The blended health system model in which the Hospital and Hospital-owned practices in CHMG work closely with independent practices can cause friction. The Concord Hospital health system and partners rely on mutual trust to work out challenges. Practices that are failing economically are not good for the community and a hospital competing with independent practices to the detriment of the community also is not good, Dr. Gibb said. Patients benefit because the partnerships offer a wide range of coordinated primary and specialty care close to home, helping avoid unnecessary testing or procedures and controlling healthcare costs. Valued Partnerships In many metropolitan areas, hospital systems compete aggressively with each other for the same care, and Thanks to long-running partnershipsFor example, Concord Orthopaedicsthey build redundant infrastructure to with numerous trusted healthcare(COPA), a longtime Hospital partner,make that happenwhether its the providers, the Concord Hospital healthrelies on the Hospital for its surgicalbuildings, the imaging, the doctors system and those partners are betterfacilities and other support, but withoutthemselves. It leads to a cost problem able to care for residents of the region.the collaboration, it might take afor health care, he said. Together, they offer a level of care thatdecade for the Hospital to develop would be difficult, if not impossible, tosuch a high-quality orthopaedicThe close cooperation between the support on their own.program of its own in the Lakes andHospital and its partners helps keep Three Rivers Regions.the focus on caring for patients, not We absolutely would not be able tocompeting for them. fulfill our mission without our partners,We were clear from the get-go that our said Dr. Matthew Gibb, Concord Hospitalorthopaedic partners in COPA would beYou want patients to feel like they Chief Clinical Officer. We would not beplaying a major role in how we deliverare in a system where their care is well able to replace everything they bringclinical orthopaedic services in Laconiacoordinated, Dr. Gibb said. Thats a to the table with Hospital-employedand Franklin and thats what we arecredit to all of our partners. providers in a short period of time. Eachdoing, Dr. Gibb said. depends on the other.The Hospital is proud of other essential partnerships with independent providers including X-Ray Professional Association, Anesthesia Associates, Pathways Professional Association (pathology) and New Hampshire NeuroSpine Institute. They help maintain the high level of care at the Hospital, and now many have assumed responsibility for serving patients at Concord Hospital - Laconia and Concord Hospital - Franklin.'