Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston has diverted some surgical cases after state regulators identified a problem with the hospital’s steam sterilization equipment, the Lewiston Sun Journal reported Aug. 26.
The Maine Department of Health and Human Services identified the issue during an Aug. 21 site visit. Urgent surgical cases requiring the affected sterilization process are being temporarily diverted to other facilities, and some nonurgent procedures are being rescheduled, a hospital spokesperson told the Sun Journal.
The spokesperson said the hospital’s operating rooms are still operational, and surgeons are performing procedures that do not require the steam sterilization process.
However, several surgeons who wished to remain anonymous told the Sun Journal that most surgeries have been paused. The hospital said it will resume full surgical services when leadership is confident that appropriate sterilization processes are in effect.
“Central Maine Healthcare is actively working on a solution that will allow us to resume our full range of surgical services as quickly and, most importantly, as safely as possible,” the spokesperson told the Sun Journal.
State health officials are working with CMS to conduct a federal compliance investigation into the hospital, a health department spokesperson told Becker’s on Aug. 26.
“Once that investigation is finalized, the findings will be released in accordance with CMS policy, and if appropriate, a statement of deficiencies will be issued and made public,” the spokesperson said.
Central Maine Medical Center is the flagship hospital of Central Maine Healthcare, a Lewiston-based system that also includes hospitals in Bridgton and Rumford.
Ontario, Calif.-based Prime Healthcare’s nonprofit public charity, Prime Healthcare Foundation, completed its acquisition of Central Maine Healthcare in February.
Becker’s has reached out to Central Maine Healthcare for comment and will update this story if more information becomes available.
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