President's Message >>

A Message From the President — excerpted from the Southern New Hampshire Health System Annual Report, January 2007

Are we meeting the needs of our community? If our patients, medical staff, and employees are more satisfied today than they were a year ago, then we have made good decisions. Of course, there are indicators we watch along the way to ensure we are making commitments and investments that are fiscally responsible, enhance patient safety, and continuously improve quality. Measuring satisfaction provides a global perspective on the effectiveness of our decision-making. Neither patients nor staff would be satisfied with an organization that was fiscally unsound and did not embrace the highest possible standards for quality and safety.

At Southern New Hampshire Health System, our commitment to satisfaction has earned loyalty from patients, physicians, and employees. In 2006, Foundation Medical Partners grew to include more than 140 providers, making us the second largest multi-specialty physician group in New Hampshire. Our employee vacancy and turnover rates—key figures for measuring employee satisfaction—continue to be among the lowest in New Hampshire. For example, our nursing turnover rate was 6.9% in 2006, while the state average for the same period was 8.55%.

The Medical Center saw seven out of every ten babies born in Nashua get their start at our hospital. Approximately 46,000 people turned to us in an emergency. In 2006, we completed construction on our expanded Emergency Department and enhanced our cardiovascular capabilities. The next phase of expansion, designed to meet the needs of surgical and obstetrical patients, has been finalized, and construction will begin in 2007.

Taking care of our community generates a lot of numbers... Together, they are a record of an incredible commitment by our staff to provide a higher level of care. At Southern New Hampshire Health System a higher level of care is more than words. Our people make it happen every day. We are committed to making the greater Nashua area a healthier and safer place to live and work.

Sincerely,
Tom Wilhelmsen
President and CEO

View the entire Southern New Hampshire Health System 2006 Annual Report