Staff reports
Tuesday, September 15, 2015 6:47 am

SMHC's Sanford Medical Center will continue 24/7 emergency care but end all overnight stays and in-patient services in October. (Courtesy photo)

SANFORD, Maine - Southern Maine Health Care announced last week that overnight in-patient care will no longer be offered at the Sanford Medical Center, formerly Goodall Hospital beginning in October..

The biggest reason was that of the 58 beds available for inpatient care, only about 10 or so were normally in use, a hospital spokesperson said on Monday.

SMHC President and CEO Ed McGeachey said in a recent press release that all overnight hospital stays will be delivered at the Biddeford Medical Center effective Oct. 23.

McGeachey said, however, that SMHC will invest significantly in the future of health care in Sanford with the following services:

• 24/7, full-service Emergency Care will continue at its current location;
• A new SMHC Walk-In Care Center will be opened in Sanford;
• Eldercare services will continue to be available in Sanford, including upgrading facilities with private rooms and modern amenities;
• SMHC will recruit up to 10 primary care providers for the Sanford/Springvale area;
• SMHC will bring even more specialists to Sanford so people do not have to travel out of town to see a cardiologist, pulmonologist, and neurologist;
• A new SMHC Cancer Care practice will be opened to bring oncology services back to Sanford;
• SMHC will ensure that day surgery facilities and the latest in diagnostics and therapy programs are available in Sanford.

"Overall, this is very good news for the people of the Sanford/Springvale region because almost all of our current services will continue in Sanford," McGeachey added. "In fact, some services will be enhanced and we will be adding new services."

McGeachey said that almost every staff member directly or indirectly involved with inpatient care in Sanford or any other affected service will continue to have a position with SMHC. About 13 staff members are not guaranteed a position after October 23 at this time, but McGeachey believes many of them will be offered a position over the next six weeks, noting that, "Openings occur all of the time, and staff without a position will be given priority status for any appropriate open position.