Maine Hospital Set to Close ICU by Year's End

St Mary's Regional Medical Center has officially announced that it will close it's intensive care unit (ICU) by the end of this year.

Just a couple short years ago, they closed their maternity unit due in part to a steady decline in the number of babies born at the hospital each year, according to WGME.

Now, according to the SJ, the ICU looks to be on the chopping block and will be closed by the end of 2024, which is quickly approaching. This decision seems to be similar to the closure of the maternity unit citing low demand.

Since the hospital has been downsizing services in recent years, it will redirect resources to areas with the most impact on health, such as mental health care and substance use treatment.

But they now want to shift the hospital's focus onto primary care, behavioral health, outpatient services, and emergency care to better serve the community’s needs, as per the report.

This massive change is part of St. Mary’s efforts to address financial struggles. They had a reported $48 million loss in 2022, according to the SJ.

The article goes on to say that a new behavioral health day program will launch in 2025 with state funding. This will help patients transition from inpatient care to outpatient services.

While the ICU closure certainly affects staff, most of the ICU team has been reassigned to other positions within the hospital.

Since members of the community will still need to be seen in intensive circumstances, they will be directed to other healthcare spots in the area like, Central Maine Medical Center (CMMC), according to the SJ

Other hospitals in Maine, like Maine Medical Center in Portland, also offer ICU services. Patients that need intensive care will likely be transferred to one of those facilities depending on their condition..