AUGUSTA, Maine — The public has until next week to comment on the proposed merger of Pen Bay Healthcare and Waldo County Healthcare.
The Maine Department of Health and Human Services is soliciting public comment about the proposed merger with a deadline of Tuesday, Sept. 8, for the written remarks to be received.
MaineHealth, the parent corporation of both Pen Bay and Waldo County, had argued in a June 17 filing with the state that the merger did not require state review, but the state disagreed and began the formal certificate of need process.
Pen Bay is the parent company of the 99-bed Pen Bay Medical Center in Rockport as well as Quarry Hill retirement center in Camden, the Knox Center in Rockland, Kno-Wal-Lin home health and hospice, and nearly all the medical practices in the county. Waldo County Healthcare is the parent corporation of the 25-bed Waldo County General Hospital in Belfast.
The proposed new corporation would replace the currently separate Pen Bay and Waldo County healthcare boards. The new corporation would have a board consisting of equal representation from the two existing organizations. The new organization would be a member of MaineHealth, which operates numerous hospitals and affiliated health care companies across the state, including Maine Medical Center in Portland.
“MaineHealth believes that the persons responsible for both the strategic and major operating decisions for these institutions should approach their task from a regional perspective,” stated the June 17 letter from MaineHealth Senior Vice President for Planning Mark Harris and MaineHealth’s Senior Vice President/General Counsel Robert Frank.
The state, however, responded that the state review was required because it involved a transfer of ownership.
People wishing to comment or submit questions can send them to: Division of Licensing and Regulatory Services, Attn: Larry Carbonneau, Manager – Health Care Oversight Program, 41 Anthony Ave., Augusta, Maine 04333-0011 (Phone 287-9216; FAX 287-5815).
The Pen Bay and Waldo County hospitals already have the same chief executive officer. Mark Biscone has been head of the Waldo County hospital for more than 31 years. He was appointed Pen Bay’s CEO in March 2014.
The two midcoast-area health organizations have merged more than 40 programs. The two hospitals are sharing services and positions that include oncology, nephrology, home health and hospice, urology, vascular surgery, infectious disease physicians, a chief medical information officer, electronic information, a cardiopulmonary department manager, a dentist, grant writing, speech therapy, telepsychiatry service, an echo sonographer and telestroke services, laundry, marketing and communication.
Pen Bay became a member of MaineHealth in 2012. Waldo County became part of MaineHealth in 2009.