CALAIS, Maine — A bankruptcy court has approved Down East Community Hospital’s petition to purchase Calais Regional Hospital.
The hospital in Calais filed bankruptcy in 2019 and has continued to provide medical services to the people of Washington County during the bankruptcy. Down East Hospital filed the paperwork to acquire Calais Regional Hospital with the bankruptcy court in February.
Down East Hospital CEO and President Steve Lail said the two independent hospitals were competing against each other for patients and resources. He said when the two hospitals combine, they can focus on health care for the people in Washington County and hopefully expand services.
“I hope this makes both of us stronger and both of us sustainable long term and I hope it gives us the ability to bring services that individually we could not bring to the area but as a combined organization we can bring it to the area,” Lail said. “So, I hope it increases the quality of care throughout the entire Washington County area and gives confidence to the local residents that we’re both going to be here for a long time.”
Lail said they are also happy that they are able to kind of ease the mind of a lot of the employees that were concerned about the hospital closing.
Todd Ricker with the Maine State Nurses Association, a labor union at the hospital, said the caregivers at Calais Regional Hospital have shown incredible dedication to their community during this time.
“We’re very glad that the new employer seems to be interested in working with us instead of against us,” Ricker said. “We look forward to a very productive relationship going forward.”
The deal is expected to close in June and the hospital will be called the Calais Community Hospital.