The guest column, “Merger into Catholic based system has hurt reproductive services at Chelsea Hospital” (Ann Arbor.com print and online editions Jan. 17) raises the concern that the Chelsea community has lost access to a full spectrum of reproductive health services. While it is true that certain procedures are not available at the hospital itself because of the change in hospital ownership, there has been no substantial change in the availability of family planning or related services to the Chelsea community.

Most reproductive health services are provided on an outpatient basis. The Chelsea Health Center, a University of Michigan clinical and teaching facility, is one of several health care facilities in the Chelsea community that has a formal affiliation with Chelsea Hospital, is located on the hospital campus, and continues to offer the same quality and diversity of health care services to the community as were available prior to the merger.

Our clinical practice, affiliations, and working relationships have not changed since the merger. We continue to strongly support Chelsea Community Hospital, are committed to its success, and maintain highly collegial working relationships. At the same time, we offer contraceptive counseling and still provide access to the full range of women’s health services as we have for over 30 years. Not all of these services are provided in our offices, but we can help guide patients to the services they seek at locations where they are available.

The quality and diversity of medical care available to the Chelsea community has not changed nor been adversely impacted by the merger.

Dr. Grant. M. Greenberg Medical Director University of Michigan Chelsea Health Center