Northern Maine Medical Center in Fort Kent has signed an agreement with Houlton Regional Hospital to provide executive management services for one year.
The collaboration is intended to pave the way for a more formal affiliation for the two Aroostook County hospitals.
For now, they will continue to operate as separate entities, but Northern Maine Medical Center president Jeff Zewe and CFO Aaron Teachout will serve the same roles at Houlton Regional Hospital.
“The outlook for rural hospitals as stand-alone facilities is precarious," Zewe said in a written statement. "We have seen rural hospital closures rise across the nation, even here at home with the closure of Inland Hospital at the end of May. Rural hospitals need to pull together to remain viable through growth, sharing services, recruitment and financial stability.”
The agreement comes on the heels of the closure of the maternity unit at Houlton Regional Hospital this month. NMMC closed its birthing unit two years ago.
