The U.S. attorney's office says the Northern Maine Medical Center has agreed to pay $125,000 to settle allegations over handling, documentation and destruction of drugs.
Hospital officials say the dispute is about record keeping, not missing medicines or quality of care. They maintain the hospital did nothing wrong, and the settlement is to avoid a costly legal battle with the federal government.
As a result of the settlement, Northern Maine Medical Center will no longer use its internal pharmacy to supply medicines to its skilled nursing patients at Forest Hill, and instead will use a retail pharmacy.
