As young physicians, we moved here in 1978 from excellent hospitals in the Chicago area. We were impressed by the high quality of Pen Bay Medical Center's physicians who would be our colleagues. Between us we have proudly practiced a total of 51 years here.

In 2011, when we as incorporators fatefully voted to join Maine Health, we hoped the combined purchasing power of multiple hospitals would produce substantial savings to help Pen Bay's deficit, some of which was due to non-payment of debts by the state. We were assured that our board could be reasonably independent though Maine Health would generally approve decisions they made. Three years later, Pen Bay has increased financial troubles, presumably not helped by levies from the mother ship, Maine Health.

When CEO Wade Johnson left, apparently encouraged to do so sooner rather than later, Mark Biscone, CEO of Waldo County General Hospital, was named Interim CEO (suggested by Maine Health?). His appointment shows tremendous insensitivity to our history and community. He covers both hospitals at present. Though Mr. Johnson left in March, the Pen Bay Board has not formed a search committee for a full-time CEO.

Under Mr. Biscone, a truly excellent radiology department and a beloved oncologist have not had their contracts renewed. Mr. Biscone says he will replace our full-time cancer specialist, Dr. Ramdin, with a part-time oncologist from Waldo County Hospital who would work part-time here, robbing us of the full-time presence of our oncologist to care for our cancer patients. He has plans to build a cancer care center in Lincolnville. We have an exceptional cancer center already and truly wonder why we are being forced to downgrade; we also wonder where the money will come from to build a multimillion-dollar facility in Lincolnville. The beauty of having a local center is that very weak and ill patients undergoing chemotherapy need not travel long distances by car; it is quite a trip from Friendship or Waldoboro to Lincolnville.

Pen Bay's X-ray department is recognized as outstanding by fellow radiologists in the state and beyond. As physicians and now as patients, we have respected their expertise. The physicians are not a financial burden, as they are not paid by the hospital. They were informed that their department would have to tender a bid in order to have renewal of their contract and that the other group was Spectrum, a large multi-specialty group. We understand that Spectrum frequently fires existing physicians in departments they have taken over, replacing them with their own and supervising remotely from the head office in Portland. PenBay X-Ray Associates submitted an excellent proposal and summary of their work. This included Dr. Crans' peer selection as top-rated radiologist in the state for Down East magazine, 36 peer-reviewed journal articles by the staff, many derived from research at Pen Bay, numerous glowing letters from the community, the president of the Radiology Alliance of Maine, and doctors who have worked closely with them. A vote taken by the hospital's physician Executive Committee, was 9 to 3 in favor of retaining PenBay X-Ray Associates. Yet the Proposal Committee and Mr. Biscone chose Spectrum, a group with no roots in the community. How sad and unfair.

The change to the Epic computer system under Maine Health has not only taken a great financial toll on the hospital, but caused immense frustration for its users. The fees paid to Maine Health far exceed what we were led to believe at incorporator/community advisor meetings.

Employed physicians, nurses, technicians and other staff are afraid to speak out. Some of their daily activities are closely monitored by non-physicians from administration in real time — 15 minutes for most primary care evaluations and no more! Physicians have been called during office visits if they exceeded the limit. Imagine a suicidal patient who appears for a 15-minute visit; only the hardened could limit that interchange. Dealing with a heart attack in the office does not take 15, or even 30 minutes. This is an impossible office model with decisions made by non-medical people on a computer. Pen Bay employees are frustrated and stressed by seemingly never-ending upheavals; we have not talked to one happy employee.

We feel someone must speak up. If these trends continue, Pen Bay will become a triage station and ever fewer from the community will use it.

We are dismayed that joining Maine Health has had such a negative effect on the practice of health care in this community. Pen Bay was created to care for the vulnerable and sick of this community; it is not a factory and should not be treated as such. The community deserves transparency, understanding and sensitivity from our board, Mr. Biscone, and Mr. Caron, CEO of Maine Health. A hatchet approach to saving money and reducing debt cannot and should not be tolerated. This may be in sync with national trends; that does not make it right. There must be a more civilized, imaginative and creative approach. Is Pen Bay's association with Maine Health really as irreversible as some would have us believe?

Drs. Olaf and Judith Andersen
Owls Head