While the Save St. Andrews Task Force has been meeting regularly to stave off the changes at St. Andrews Hospital, the Lincoln County Healthcare community advisory committee has been meeting monthly to help implement those changes.

Much of the March 15 advisory committee meeting at the Family Care Center focused on plans for the March 20 LCH community meeting at the Opera House at Boothbay Harbor. 

LCH Physician Services Vice President Stacey Miller said Rev. Mary Jo Zimmerli will serve as moderator and Dr. Mark Fourre will present the proposed clinical changes. CEO Jim Donovan said a handout of the top 20 questions and answers will be provided and a question and answer period is planned.

Miller said the healthcare organization will provide $250,000 to Boothbay ($102,000), Boothbay Harbor ($121,500) and Southport ($26,500) this year to offset tax increases due to ambulance service changes. Miller said the dollar amount was based on LCH’s projection of the transport volume and income loss due to the St. Andrews emergency room closure. 

When asked by Linda Redman, Miller said the money was a one-time unrestricted contribution to the towns, but did not rule out future contributions. “As you know we are heavily regulated, so we have to say it’s a one-time contribution but we will be back at the table for more discussions,” Miller said. 

Hospital Operations Vice President Cindy Leavitt said LCH has sent a letter of intent to the Department of Health and Human Services to begin the Certificate of Need licensing process for skilled and nursing beds at the St. Andrews campus on Western Avenue.  

“We are attempting to keep skilled and long-term care services here,” Leavitt said. Leavitt said the average daily census at St. Andrews Hospital currently is 10 patients and LCH will apply for 10 skilled nursing beds and 8 nursing home beds. 

If the beds are approved by the state, Donovan said site renovations will be necessary. He estimated it would cost between $500,000 to $1 million to renovate the hospital wing to meet nursing bed requirements.

Obtaining a certificate of need for new beds may be difficult. Donovan said no new nursing beds have been authorized in Maine since 1994, but healthcare facilities have been able to purchase excess capacity from other licensed providers. LCH has hired Berry Dunn consultants to facilitate the certificate of need process, which allows for public comment and may include public hearings. 

Leavitt said she hoped the bed licensing process could be completed prior to October 1, when the hospital license will be terminated. If timing does not work,  contingency plans to provide services will be developed she said.

Boothbay Harbor resident Don Walker asked the probability of the ER closing and other changes occurring on October 1. Donovan replied, “One hundred percent.”

Sue Mello can be reached at 207-844-4629 or sumello@boothbayregister.com.