York Hospital, MaineHealth merger advances after state approval
York Hospital is set to join MaineHealth.
The hospital and Maine’s largest healthcare system announced Monday that the state has approved their merger and that it will take effect on Oct. 1. Some job cuts are expected.
The hospital and MaineHealth needed state regulators to approve a Certificate of Need, a regulatory requirement that necessitates hospitals to prove that major changes, such as the purchase of certain medical equipment or mergers, best serve the public.
Dr. Patrick Taylor, CEO of York Hospital, said in a written statement that the merger is a “monumental point in our history.”
“For generations, York Hospital has been a trusted community institution defined by compassionate, patient-centered care,” Taylor said. “This approval allows us to move forward with a partner who shares our commitment to ensuring patients in our region continue to receive excellent care close to home.”
Dr. Andy Mueller, MaineHealth’s CEO, described the hospital as “a vital part of the healthcare landscape in southern Maine.”
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“With this approval, we can begin the important work of bringing our teams together — listening, learning and building on the strengths that already exist — to better serve patients and communities,” Mueller stated.
York Hospital officials announced they were in merger discussions with MaineHealth late last year.
Taylor said at the time that financial pressures, which could have resulted in cuts to services, had led York Hospital to request to join MaineHealth.
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The joint announcement on Monday says hospital and MaineHealth leaders share the goal of “maintaining inpatient services at York Hospital while strengthening primary care and expanding access to specialty care in MaineHealth’s network.”
John Porter, a spokesperson for MaineHealth, said in an email response to questions from the Portland Press Herald on Monday that the merger is not a financial transaction as both entities are not-for-profit organizations. However, he said MaineHealth expects to make “substantial investments” in the hospital.
That includes integrating the hospital into its electric healthcare record system, Porter said, which will provide patients with “more streamlined access to MaineHealth specialty providers.”
York Hospital’s birthing center closed in 2023. Porter said that while obstetric care would be “enhanced” through integration with MaineHealth’s system, there is currently no plan to offer labor or delivery services there.
Both hospital and MaineHealth officials have said there will likely be merger-related job cuts with the consolidation of nonclinical staff. In an FAQ on its website, York Hospital says both parties will review administrative roles to see where they “may align or overlap.”
Porter said on Monday that those “who are displaced in that process will have an opportunity to apply for other roles across MaineHealth, which has approximately 24,000 care team members and numerous open positions.”
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Tagged: MaineHealth, york county Maine, York Hospital
Drew is the night reporter for the Portland Press Herald. He previously covered South Portland, Scarborough and Cape Elizabeth for the Sentry, Leader and Southern Forecaster. Though he is from Massachusetts,. More by Drew Johnson
