If you believe that another public meeting to discuss the fate of St. Andrews Hospital and local healthcare is an exercise in futility, the good citizens of the Boothbay Region Health and Wellness Foundation would like to convince you otherwise.

After more than a year of trying to persuade Maine Department of Health and Human Services regulators to review the healthcare changes on this peninsula, the group has finally succeeded. Although the DHHS hearing date a few days before Christmas is hardly optimal, the wellness foundation believes it is crucial that local residents take the time to attend and be heard.

While some within the healthcare advocacy group still hope the state will not approve Lincoln County Healthcare’s formation or the merger of St. Andrews and Miles Hospital, foundation representatives said they think that outcome is a long shot.

“To get the hospital and ER back is like unscrambling an egg,” Jane Good said. “But the state can place conditions on the certificate of need. When we met last week, Julius (Ciembroniewicz, the foundation’s attorney) told us to think about what it is that the community would want as a condition. And the whole room said, “More beds.”

“We’re not giving up, but we’re not going to get the hospital back,” Margaret Jones Perritt said. “We need the community to show up at the hearing and let the state know we need those beds on this peninsula. Our goal is to have 25 skilled beds (at St. Andrews Village) for rehab and end of life care.”

Lincoln County Healthcare filed a notice of intent with the state to create additional skilled beds at St. Andrews Village last March, but said they were unable to document the need for more beds at that time. In October, Lincoln County Healthcare CEO Jim Donovan said the organization was working to develop a case to convince the state additional inpatient beds are needed.

“We know that there would have to be another certificate of need for more beds,” Mary Connelly said. “But if nothing else, we can at least plant the seed with the state.”

Perritt said she is also concerned that outpatient facilities at St. Andrews are not being fully utilized because Miles outpatient services compete with St. Andrews. Perritt said while Lincoln County Healthcare has moved all the hospital inpatient services to Miles, outpatient services continue to be duplicated on both campuses.

“It’s been a one-sided sort of thing. God forbid people from Damariscotta would have to come to Boothbay Harbor for anything,” Perritt said. “If they are going to invest the time and money into this facility then make it a really good one and then use it.”

Wellness Foundation President Patty Seybold said participants at the hearing should come prepared to speak for no more than three minutes and encouraged anyone interested in the issue but not inclined to speak to show his or her interest by attending. All comments will become part of the public record; written testimony will also be accepted. 

The DHHS public hearing on Lincoln County Healthcare will run from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 19 at the Boothbay Harbor Town Office.

Written comments on LCH’s reorganization will be accepted until 5 p.m. on January 22, 2014. Comments should be sent to the DHHS, Licensing and Regulatory Services, Certificate of Need Unit, Station House Station # 11, 41 Anthony Ave., Augusta, ME 04333-0011.

To view LCH’s application or the DHHS public notice, click here.