Lewiston-based Central Maine Healthcare and Brunswick, Maine-based Midcoast-Parkview Health debated Central Maine's $14 million outpatient surgical center proposal at a public hearing July 22, the Sun Journal reports.
What you should know:
1. Central Maine wants to build a surgery center in Topsham, but is being met with resistance from Midcoast-Parkview because of the proximity of the center to its outpatient surgical department.
2. Midcoast-Parkview argued its outpatient department is already performing all of the services Central Maine wants to perform at its proposed outpatient center.
3. Midcoast-Parkview said the surgery center would directly affect its bottom line, resulting in decreased services or increased prices.
4. Central Maine submitted the proposal for its 20,000-square-foot surgical center in May.
5. The Maine Department of Health and Human Services is accepting public comments on the proposal through Aug. 21.