New MaineGeneral hospital approved
MaineGeneral's plan to build a $319 million regional hospital in Augusta received final approval yesterday from the state after the health care organization agreed to shrink its size.
Department of Health and Human Services Commissioner Brenda Harvey signed off on the proposal more than a month after the plan won conditional support in September, according to the Kennebec Journal. Harvey's approval required MaineGeneral to reduce the hospital's number of beds from 226 to 192, although MaineGeneral could add the beds later if it becomes necessary. Another condition, that MaineGeneral ensure the new hospital can be accessed from I-95 before it ceases inpatient services at its existing Thayer campus in Waterville, was also modified, and now allows MaineGeneral to seek "timely" construction of highway access and makes available up to $35 million pledged to the new hospital by the Harold Alfond Foundation if the interchange is built. MaineGeneral's contribution for the interchange work, estimated to cost $11 million, was capped at $2 million, according to the paper.
The new hospital will combine the inpatient services of the Thayer campus and MaineGeneral's existing Augusta hospital, which will close along with the Seton campus in Waterville, while operations at Thayer will be scaled back.
Go to the article from the Kennebec Journal >>
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