Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston is diverting some surgical patients and postponing certain procedures after state health officials identified a problem Aug. 21 with equipment used to sterilize surgical instruments, according to an article at CentralMaine.com.
The hospital says surgeries requiring the affected steam-sterilization process are being diverted, while some non-urgent procedures are being rescheduled. Patients needing more immediate surgery may be transferred to other facilities as CMMC coordinates care based on medical urgency.
Hospital officials say the operating rooms remain open for procedures that can be safely performed using available sterilization methods, but several healthcare providers, speaking anonymously, said surgical operations are effectively shut down, including emergency and elective procedures.
CMMC has not said when all surgical services will resume. Officials say they are working to restore the full range of procedures once they are confident proper sterilization processes are in place.
CMMC is part of Central Maine Healthcare, which also operates hospitals in Bridgton and Rumford. The system was acquired by California-based Prime Healthcare Foundation in February.
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