Copyright Bangor Daily News
Northern Light Health announced Friday that it will close its Waterville walk-in care facility in November. The Waterville facility is managed by Northern Light Mercy Hospital in Portland. Northern Light Health had originally planned to close the facility at the end of the year. It will now close on Nov. 14, due to a decline in clients. The upcoming closure comes during a period when the Brewer-based health care system has seen hospital closures, resignations by top executives and enormous financial losses, and now faces an imminent deadline in a heated contract negotiation with the state’s largest insurer, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield. But despite these struggles, Northern Light described the upcoming Waterville closure as a success of sorts. When Northern Light Inland Hospital in Waterville was closed earlier this year, the walk-in facility was kept open to continue access to care while people switched to new providers and services, according to Northern Light. “That transition has been successful, as patient volumes at the Waterville walk-in care clinic have steadily declined as individuals and families have established ongoing relationships with other providers in the community,” Northern Light said. BDN writer Ethan Andrews contributed to this report.
