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Maine hospitals withdraw from partnerships to treat addiction due to lawsuit

A spokesperson said EMHS hospitals have no choice but to end participating in two organizations that connect health care providers and local government to reduce the stigma and increase understanding of substance use prevention, treatment, and recovery.

(NEWS CENTER Maine) -- Eastern Maine Health System announced Thursday night that its hospitals will pull out of partnerships designed to treat addiction because of a lawsuit naming hospital doctors as contributing to the opioid crisis.

EMHS spokesperson Chris Facchini wrote in a press release that by suing individual physicians, the cities and counties involved in the lawsuit have essentially named EMHS and any member organization that employed these physicians.

Therefore, Facchini said EMHS, and its member organizations have "no choice" but to end its participation in the Community Health Leadership Board, and the Greater Portland Addiction Collaborative, two organizations that connect health care providers and local government to reduce the stigma and increase understanding of substance use prevention, treatment, and recovery.

RELATED ► City of Portland files lawsuit against opioid manufacturers

The lawsuit alleges that doctors and large pharmaceutical companies caused the opioid abuse epidemic and caused $1 billion in damages.

Bangor City Council Chair Ben Sprague announced on his Facebook page Friday that he is resigning his board position with Eastern Maine Medical Center due to the conflict of interest.

"I don't feel that I should be a member of both organizations (the City Council and the hospital) when there is pending litigation between the two," Sprague wrote in a Facebook post. "I also don't think it is right for the Chair of the Bangor City Council (or any City Councilor, for that matter) to not be able to participate in conversations and decisions related to one of our most important institutions and top employers in the community."

Sprague recused himself from the city council's work on the lawsuit because of his position on the EMMC board of trustees.

Sprague said he could not comment on the pending litigation but wrote" I think the City of Bangor and all of its healthcare organizations need to be partners in the opioid epidemic, which represents one of the most significant public health crises of our time. We should be allies in this. My goal is that we maintain cooperative and mutually supportive relationships and I look forward to being a part of the conversation as this is one of the most important issues that we collectively face."

Members of the Eastern Maine Health System include: Eastern Maine Medical Center, Acadia Hospital, and Mercy Hospital in Portland.

Facchini called the claims that EMHS or its current or former employees directly caused the epidemic is "legally and factually baseless and defending it will be a waste of time and resources that could otherwise be directed to the health and well-being of the people of Maine."

The City of Portland declined to comment.

"We wish them well in their lawsuit against pharma manufacturers and distributors but are disheartened by the inclusion of Maine physicians," Facchini wrote. "We are disappointed that the cities and counties are jeopardizing the financial well-being of their local hospitals."

He said they would defend themselves at the appropriate time and place.

Facchini said EMHS and member organizations contributed more than $217 million in community benefit in 2017.

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