The only new wrinkle in the long debate over healthcare changes on the Boothbay peninsula is that state regulators will now officially bless, or less likely, unbless the changes that have already been instituted here.

On December 19, more than two months after Lincoln County Healthcare closed St. Andrews Hospital’s emergency room and skilled bed unit, and more than five years since Lincoln County Healthcare was created, the Maine Department of Health and Human Services came to Boothbay Harbor to hear the case for and against the changes that have been made in how local healthcare is provided, governed and managed.

The DHHS public hearing on Lincoln County Healthcare filled the Boothbay Harbor town meeting room to capacity for most of the morning.

Lincoln County Healthcare trustees Jeff Curtis and Bill Logan, CEO Jim Donovan, Chief Medical Officer Dr. Mark Fourre and MaineHealth Vice President Frank McGinty made the case for the consolidation of local healthcare services, citing declining patient volumes, out-migration of patients to larger hospitals, high costs and the need to improve quality as drivers for change.

Thirty members of the public provided comments at the hearing. The majority of these commentators were opposed to what they described as a steady, intentionally orchestrated winnowing of local services driven by economics.

A few commentators citing the high cost of healthcare, such as Denise Griffin and Bath Iron Work’s Chris McCarthy, spoke in favor of Lincoln County Healthcare’s reorganization and the need to continue to rationalize services and reduce costs.

The opposing sides shared one common goal throughout the hearing: to convince DHHS to allow more skilled beds on the Boothbay peninsula to replace those beds given up at St. Andrews Hospital on October 1.

Paper red hearts, the emblem of the Save St. Andrews Campaign, inscribed with the word “Beds” filled a box in the town office entry and were worn like badges by many speakers and audience members.

Trustee Jeff Curtis said LCH is seeking DHHS approval of more skilled beds at St. Andrews Village for recuperating patients and end of life care. “I hope it will be looked at favorably,” Curtis said.

Several public commentators, such as Stephanie Wiley, who spoke on behalf of Libby Hodgdon, who is recuperating in Lewiston post-surgery, detailed the hardships for patients and families when loved ones are unable to recuperate nearby.

“The biggest toll is emotional with her being so far from home,” Wiley said. “If she were at St. Andrews, we could visit her off and on daily. Now we see her just once a week.”

A few commentators asked DHHS to undo all the changes that had been made and to return St. Andrews to a standalone hospital. Others asked that DHHS require the urgent care to be open 24 hours a day, to ensure more local control over healthcare decisions and to require LCH to offset increased ambulance and transport costs.

Leigh Sherrill, who testified neither for nor against, spoke in favor of skilled beds and noted that it was time for the community to move beyond the divisiveness that has dominated the local healthcare debate.

“I would hope our community can get beyond for and against,” Sherrill said, “and get to the best resolution we can in this situation.”

DHHS will accept comments on the LCH reorganization until January 22. Comments may be sent to  DHHS, Licensing and Regulatory Services, Certificate of Need Unit, Station House Station # 11, 41 Anthony Ave., Augusta, ME 04333-0011.

Larry Carbonneau, DHHS Manager, said the public hearing transcript and any public comments may be viewed by contacting DHHS at 207-287-9300.

Carbonneau said he anticipates a decision will be made by the DHHS commissioner sometime in February.