York Hospital is seeking state approval to merge with MaineHealth.
Officials say that after more than a century of operating independently, York Hospital is facing multiple challenges and can no longer go it alone.
Those challenges include the increasing cost of labor, supplies, and technology, as well as difficulties with getting reimbursed by payers, says president Patrick Taylor.
The latest available tax filings for York Hospital show it had a 10 million dollar operating loss in fiscal year 2023. The same year, it closed its maternity unit.
"If we want to continue to deliver the care in the way that we deliver here, provide the services that we do to southern York County, we needed a partner," says Taylor. "And when we looked at that, we determined MaineHealth was our best partner to proceed."
Taylor says York Hospital has reached out to MaineHealth in recent months for assistance with clinical and operational issues, and they're an ideal partner that will boost access to primary and specialty care.
"Patients should see this as a positive for them and for the ability to secure and keep care locally," he says. "That's very important."
York Hospital must get state approval for the merger. Taylor says he hopes the deal will be finalized by June.
The announcement comes as another health system in Maine, Lewiston-based Central Maine Healthcare, is in the process of being acquired by California-based Prime Healthcare Foundation.
