A new, innovative partnership is making it easier for essential workers to get rapid COVID-19 testing at a local medical facility they know and trust. Hitchiner Manufacturing Co., Inc. and SolutionHealth, parent company of Southern New Hampshire Health in Nashua and Elliot Health System in Manchester, have formed an agreement to offer Hitchiner employees rapid COVID-19 testing at Hitchiner’s on-site Health and Resource Center. Southern New Hampshire Health and Hitchiner have had a special, long-standing relationship. One many Hitchiner employees, their spouses, and dependents are familiar with for their medical care.
“About a decade ago, we developed a unique relationship with Southern New Hampshire Health,” said Hitchiner’s Vice President of Corporate Affairs & Services Timothy C. Sullivan, Esq. “Our employees and their families can access primary care services and behavioral health services here at no cost on a walk-in basis. And now, this new service allows our employees to get tested and back to work as soon as possible in the event of personal travel or an exposure to COVID-19, as well as peace of mind that our colleagues are working in a safe environment.”
Sullivan, who is a member of the SolutionHealth Board of Trustees and who served on the Southern New Hampshire Health Board of Trustees for over two decades, came up with this innovative idea as the second wave of COVID-19 began to take hold in New Hampshire in the fall. By Christmas, the idea was a reality thanks to the support of SolutionHealth President and CEO Sherry Hausmann.
“At SolutionHealth, our goal is to provide high-quality, value-based health care to the people in the communities we serve,” said Hausmann. “We pride ourselves on developing innovative ways to bring that care to our patients. This new collaboration with Hitchiner is a shining example of what can be done when we work together for the betterment of the people of southern New Hampshire.”
Leading companies in the automotive, aerospace, and defense industries around the globe use Milford-based Hitchiner Manufacturing Co., Inc.’s castings in the products they make. Those companies rely on Hitchiner’s skilled employees to provide volume production, reduced lead-times, and just-in-time manufacturing. But like so many industries, the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted Hitchiner’s staff. Whether it’s the result of personal travel, an exposure, or other concern, these essential workers need access to convenient and reliable COVID-19 testing so that they may return to work, safely, as soon as possible.
This unique partnership is an example of how corporate collaborations can help keep workers safe, essential businesses running, and the economy moving forward.
Hitchiner’s Mildred Mejia DeFerreiras is tested for COVID-19 by Southern New Hampshire Health’s Jen Thebodeau, RN. Photo courtesy of Hitchiner Manufacturing Co., Inc.