Photo / Courtesy Northern Light Health
Ava Collins
3 hours ago
Financial recovery tops agenda for new president at Northern Light's Bangor hospital
File photo / COURTESY, Northern Light EASTERN MAINE MEDICAL CENTER
Eastern Maine Medical Center, in Bangor, is the 411-bed flagship facility of Northern Light Health.
The new president of Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor brings a leadership background that includes serving in executive roles for a national health system and helping New Orleans health care organizations recover after Hurricane Katrina.
Northern Light Health appointed Ava Collins to the position amidst the system’s financial woes and a leadership shakeup.
Collins succeeds Gregory LaFrancois at Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center.
LaFrancois resigned last October after 15 months in the position, when the system eliminated several leadership positions.
Collins joined Northern Light Health in June 2024 as vice president of oncology services and accepted the role of interim president at the Bangor hospital in October.
She has been working to develop a strategy for the hospital’s financial recovery, according to a news release.
The 411-bed Eastern Maine Medical Center is Northern Light Health’s flagship facility.
Headquartered in Brewer, Northern Light Health is Maine’s second-largest health care system, with 10 hospitals across Maine and other locations, and employing more than 10,000 people.
Credit watch
Over the past three years, the system has experienced operational losses averaging over $100 million per year. In October, S&P Global Ratings placed Northern Light on a credit watch.
In November, James Rohrbaugh, the system’s executive vice president and CFO, said factors contributing to operating losses include inadequate reimbursement for care, labor shortages and increased costs.
In Wednesday’s announcement, Paul Bolin, executive vice president, and chief people and administrative officer, said Collins is well-suited to move Eastern Maine Medical Center toward a more sustainable future.
Collins will continue to serve as a senior vice president for Northern Light Health.
“Ava is a strong leader who understands how to deliver on strategy, clinical operations and, importantly, culture,” said Tim Dentry, Northern Light Health’s president and CEO.
Before arriving at Northern Light Health, Collins served in executive roles for Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare Corp. (NYSE: THC) at Massachusetts facilities in Framingham and Worcester.
That included CEO of Tenet’s MetroWest Medical Center, a multi-site campus with acute care and behavioral health hospitals in Massachusetts.
She also served in executive roles with Ochsner Health in New Orleans and orchestrated the re-opening of Ochsner Baptist Hospital after Hurricane Katrina; the opening of the Gayle and Tom Benson Cancer Center; and navigated the planning, impact and recovery of Hurricane Katrina.
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