Some surgery at Central Maine Medical Center paused for sterilization issues, hospital says
Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston is diverting certain surgical patients to other facilities after state inspectors flagged a problem with sterilization equipment used in the hospital's operating rooms.
The Maine Department of Health and Human Services identified the issue during an on-site visit to the hospital on Aug. 21. Hospital officials confirmed that surgical cases requiring the affected steam sterilization process are being sent elsewhere, and some non-urgent procedures are being rescheduled.
"Cases requiring the affected steam sterilization process are temporarily being diverted, and some non-urgent, scheduled procedures are being rescheduled," a Central Maine Medical Center spokesperson said.
The hospital has not indicated when its full range of surgical services will be restored.
In a statement, a DHHS spokesperson said the agency's Division of Licensing and Certification is working with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on an ongoing federal compliance investigation. The agency added that once the investigation concludes, findings will be released in line with CMS policy and, if warranted, a Statement of Deficiencies will be issued publicly. DHHS declined to answer additional questions about patient safety or the scope of the diversions.
Diversion in this case differs from the more familiar emergency room meaning. Rather than rerouting incoming ambulances from the emergency department, the operating rooms themselves are on diversion, meaning some patients already admitted may need to be transferred to other facilities for surgery. The hospital said it is coordinating care according to clinical urgency.
"Non-urgent, planned procedures may be rescheduled, while patients requiring more immediate surgical care are being coordinated with our healthcare partners when necessary to ensure timely access to appropriate treatment," the spokesperson said.
The hospital emphasized that its operating rooms remain in use, with physicians continuing to perform procedures that can be supported by available sterilization methods.
However, multiple providers who spoke on condition of anonymity, citing fear of retaliation from the health system, described the situation as far more restrictive, saying the operating rooms are closed to most surgeries.
Hospital officials did not respond to further inquiries about which types of procedures are affected.
A spokesperson said services will resume when leadership is confident that proper sterilization processes are restored.
"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 said.
Central Maine Medical Center is the flagship hospital of Central Maine Healthcare, a western Maine system that also includes hospitals in Bridgton and Rumford, along with a network of physician practices. In February, the system was acquired by Prime Healthcare Foundation, a California-based nonprofit that pledged $150 million in investment at the time of the deal.
The diversion comes against a backdrop of reported turbulence within Central Maine Healthcare. Earlier this summer, insiders told the Maine Trust for Local News that staff resignations across the system had put patient care at risk, raising questions about workforce stability and oversight at the newly acquired network.
