It is said that the only constant in life is change, and healthcare is no different than any other aspect of our lives. Healthcare is undergoing monumental change that will affect how we interact with and participate in it. Change can raise anxiety levels, but in the case of Pen Bay Healthcare the changes we're making today will not change our commitment to our patients and their safety, and will position us better for the future.

The factors affecting our nation's healthcare system are numerous and are continuing to evolve. One of the largest impacts is the movement toward Accountable Care Organizations (ACO). This federal initiative for a new payment and quality model of healthcare is based on providers being paid for how they care for the whole patient and for keeping patients well.

Many other factors are influencing changes in healthcare:

Downward pressure on reimbursement from Medicare and Medicaid programs continue to reduce the amount they reimburse physicians and hospitals for services.

Regionalization strategies provide comprehensive care for patients in a region that wouldn't be available without working together; some examples include oncology services and cardiac care.

Employing physicians means healthcare systems can ensure the needed primary care and specialty services are available in a given area, and employed physicians are able to focus on their patients and not on running a business.

Electronic medical records are powerful tools for physicians and other healthcare providers, but they come with a significant price tag and a learning curve for users.

These initiatives, and many more, are being undertaking by healthcare organizations across the country, including Pen Bay and MaineHealth, to develop a patient-centered system with a goal of achieving the best outcomes at the lowest costs, and all while remaining focused on our core values of high quality, safe patient care.

The announcement of a couple of such efforts at Pen Bay have led to some misunderstandings in our community, which I feel important to speak to.

Pen Bay Healthcare and Waldo County Healthcare are working together to right-size cancer care offered in our region and to provide patients the experience they desire and the care they expect. Cancer care patients, whether they are in the Knox or Waldo County service area, will continue to receive exceptional care.

Full-time coverage will continue in both locations through board-certified physician Betsy Connelly, DO, and the nurse practitioner staff. The number of staff and their hours of availability will not be reduced nor will the number of patient visits. Patients will see caregivers in the location that is convenient for them, and they won't need to travel for comprehensive cancer care, including their treatments. We regret the decisions were made public before we shared it with our cancer patients.

The decision to select a new organization to provide professional imaging services for Pen Bay Healthcare was carefully considered by a committee of three administrators and fourteen medical staff.

The current provider group provides professional imaging services to Pen Bay under a contract agreement set to expire this coming December.

As part of the contract review process, that began months ago under the former CEO, proposals were solicited, presented and reviewed and the review committee's recommendation to interim the CEO was to select Spectrum Medical Group for professional imaging services.

Our new relationship with Spectrum, which begins in January, will provide Pen Bay Healthcare patients with increased access to subspecialties provided by fellowship-trained physicians, offering services 24 hours a day, which is not something available at this time.

Joining the MaineHealth system has allowed Pen Bay and Waldo to offer numerous community wellness programs, such as Let's Go! 5-2-1-0 and AH! Asthma as well as initiatives that improve care, including having registered nurse chronic care managers in physician practices. Support from the MaineHealth system has enabled Pen Bay to fund 24-hour pharmacy coverage and our critical care remote monitoring program. In addition, by collaborating Waldo County Healthcare and Pen Bay Healthcare are able to share specialists and offer services we wouldn't otherwise be able to offer in our area, including urology, nephrology, vascular surgery and infectious disease care.

Membership in MaineHealth also saves money. For example, Waldo and Pen Bay realized combined savings of nearly $800,000 in our last fiscal year through a variety of MaineHealth contracts. That savings doesn't take into account the considerable discount enjoyed as part of MaineHealth on the purchase of major equipment, which can be $200,000-$300,000 on an MRI or CT scanner.

As the fourth generation leader of my family's 114-year old business, I know change. I know change is about adapting and positioning for the future. I know it's not always easy and at times it's quite difficult, but I know it's necessary to stay relevant to our customers. I bring this same understanding with me to the Pen Bay Healthcare board meetings. Our Board of Trustees has a responsibility to ensure the sustainability of our community's hospital, and it's clear that we must continually adapt to ensure a future of high quality patient-centered care for our patients.

In closing, I would like to express my gratitude to the talented Pen Bay staff that care for us so well, and is committed to providing their neighbors with safe, effective quality care, compassionately. As chair of the Pen Bay Board of Trustees, I know that the entire Pen Bay organization is focused on ensuring the best outcomes for our patients – now and into the future. I am honored to work with this group of dedicated clinicians and administrators who are working together and will work even more closely in the future to adapt to the changing healthcare landscape.

Everett L. Spear, III is Chairman of the Pen Bay Healthcare Board of Trustees and president resident of E.L. Spear, Inc., Lumber & Hardware in Rockland.