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December 22, 2009

Plans advance for new Augusta hospital

By The Mainebiz News Staff

MaineGeneral Medical Center yesterday filed a Certificate of Need application with the state to seek approval to build a new hospital in Augusta.

MaineGeneral, the state's third-largest health care system, wants to consolidate its inpatient services, currently spread between campuses in Augusta and Waterville, at one modern hospital to be built next to the Harold Alfond Center for Cancer Care in Augusta, according to a press release. The organization announced the project with a letter of intent filed with the state in October. As part of the project, MaineGeneral would close its current inpatient facility in Augusta and the Seton Campus in Waterville, and pour $10 million into updating the Thayer Campus in Waterville, which will become its outpatient facility.

MaineGeneral officials say a consolidated hospital would be more efficient and allow the hospital to attract more top doctors, according to a press release. MaineGeneral would finance the $322 million project through an equity down payment, capital fund-raising and hospital bonds and borrowing to be paid back over 30 years, according to the release.

As part of the Certificate of Need process, the Maine Department of Health and Human Services will review MaineGeneral's project, which could be approved as early as June 2010. If that occurs, construction would begin in the fall of 2011 and the new hospital would open in 2015, according to MaineGeneral.

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