Mayo Regional Hospital officially joins Northern Light Health 

DOVER-FOXCROFT — Two organizations with a shared vision to meet the health care needs of the people of Piscataquis County have officially come together. Northern Light Health and Mayo Regional Hospital completed their merger agreement on Sunday, March 1. On Monday morning, Michelle Hood, president and CEO of Northern Light Health, joined with Marie Vienneau, president and CEO of the newly named Northern Light Mayo Hospital, for a press conference and celebration at  the hospital with employees.

“As a stand-alone hospital, Mayo has been providing excellent care to people in Piscataquis County for more than 40 years. Working together, we can continue that mission,” Hood said. “We are pleased to welcome Mayo’s leaders, board and employees into our organization as we work together toward a common goal to preserve rural healthcare services in this region of the state.” 

Following a thorough review process with ample opportunity for public input, the Maine Department of Health and Human Services granted a certificate of need in January, which allowed the merger between Mayo Regional Hospital and Northern Light Health to go forward. For Mayo, integrating with a health care system provides a sustainable path forward. 

“Mayo not only provides local care, but as the region’s largest employer, it is vital to the rural economy of Piscataquis County,” Vienneau said. “As a member of Northern Light Health, we have found a better path forward for our patients, our employees and our community.”

Following the press conference Hood, Vienneau, and hospital employees signed a banner depicting Mayo’s new logo under the Northern Light Health brand. Although the legal aspects of the merger are complete, there is still much more operational work that will occur over the course of the year to fully integrate Mayo into Northern Light Health.

Photo courtesy of Mayo Northern Light Mayo Hospital
NORTHERN LIGHT MAYO HOSPITAL — Michelle Hood, FACHE, president and CEO, Northern Light Health (right) joined with Marie Vienneau, FACHE, president and CEO of the newly named Northern Light Mayo Hospital in Dover-Foxcroft for a March 2 press conference and celebration at the hospital with employees for the completion of the merger.

At this point, the only noticeable change to patients will be staff calling the hospital by its new name, said Northern Light Health spokesperson Chris Facchini. Later this week, the hospital plans to hang a temporary wrap over its main entrance that includes the new name. Gradually, it will replace its permanent signs, according to Facchini. 

“In terms of patients, they shouldn’t notice any difference in the care they receive,” he said. “They will go to the same providers in the same locations.” 

Although the merger has legal taken effect, Facchini said, Mayo and Northern Light will need more time to merge their medical services, human resources, technology, philanthropy and other operations. 

In regards to a lawsuit seeking to block the merger Facchini wrote in an email that the legal aspects of the merger are complete and the operational work continues to fully integrate Mayo into Northern Light Health.

“As far as the lawsuit our position is that the lawsuit is without merit and beyond that we have no additional comment,” he said. “We are proceeding according to plan.”

While the hospital announced the completion of the merger, a lawsuit that sought to block the deal is due to go before a judge in Kennebec County on March 25. 

In that lawsuit, the town of Cambridge and almost three dozen residents from the other communities that collectively owned Mayo before the merger argued that special legislation authorizing the merger was unconstitutional. They also argued that hospital leaders violated the hospital’s charter by pursuing the deal without first holding votes in all of its 13 member communities.

Northern Light, Mayo and the Maine attorney general’s office have all filed motions seeking to dismiss the lawsuit. 

Charles Eichacker of the Bangor Daily News contributed to this story.