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Lewiston hospital to end status as trauma center

A blue-tinged photo shows a building and a sign. FILE PHOTO / COURTESY CENTRAL MAINE HEALTHCARE Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston will end its status as a trauma center Dec. 1.
By Laurie Schreiber

Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston said it would end its status as a trauma center effective Dec. 1.

The change means the hospital will no longer qualify as a trauma center and instead will be considered a trauma system hospital.  

Trauma centers are defined as hospitals committed to and able to provide a comprehensive array of trauma care and trauma system support resources, according to Maine Emergency Medical Services.

Trauma system hospitals are defined as all hospitals that are not regional trauma centers. They provide clinical decision-making and trauma care, consultation and, when required, effect appropriate transfer to other facilities. 

The downgrade follows numerous service and facility rollbacks across the health care industry in Maine, as hospitals and health care centers struggle with crippling costs, plummeting revenues and aging infrastructure, resulting in reduced services, delayed critical investments and stretched resources.

Two trauma centers remain.

Maine EMS said it’s been meeting with the Maine EMS trauma advisory committee, Central Maine Medical Center leadership, and the remaining trauma centers to discuss the change and to understand potential impacts.

A person poses for a headshot.
File photo
Steve Littleson, Central Maine Healthcare

The remaining trauma centers will be Maine Medical Center in Portland and Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor.

The 250-bed Central Maine Medical Center is the flagship facility of Central Maine Healthcare, whose other facilities include hospitals in Bridgton and Rumford.

Earlier this year, Central Maine Healthcare agreed in January to be acquired by the Ontario, Calif.-based nonprofit Prime Healthcare Foundation.

The acquisition is expected to close by the end of 2025, subject to regulatory approvals. CMH facilities would retain their names and local leadership. Prime has agreed to invest $150 million in the facilities over the next five years and to continue and expand services based on community needs.

Steve Littleson, CEO of Central Maine Healthcare, has previously said the deal is expected to result in capability and resources to attract and retain talent, improve access to care and address health care needs across central Maine.

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