[S]pringfield Hospital has a new emergency room operator.
Maine-based Bluewater Emergency Partners took over on Monday night, after the hospital terminated a 40-year relationship with Emergency Services of New England to find savings amid financial challenges.
“We extend our thanks and appreciation to the Emergency Services of New England staff that has provided emergency care for the Springfield region for many years,” interim CEO Mike Halstead said in a news release. “Springfield Hospital has a first-class Emergency Department and ESNE played an important role in that.”
Bluewater started working at Springfield Hospital with ESNE’s team at 7 p.m. Monday before Bluewater completely transitioned at midnight.
ESNE Co-President Cary Stratford said Bluewater received no prior training from ESNE about where supplies were or how systems operated.
“We figured there would be more interaction and more mentoring than just a few hours before the shift was up,” Stratford said.
Bluewater will cover the emergency room with doctors and physician assistants for a combined 36 hours a day, down from the 50 hours of daily coverage provided by ESNE’s team of physician assistants.
“Our worry has been (36 hours is) too lean — not just for the volume, but for all the nuisances of the department,” Stratford said.
Halstead, who came to Springfield Hospital in January, said in a previous interview that maintaining a high level of patient care was a priority. He also said the new contract with Bluewater will save the hospital money.
A February financial audit said Bluewater would “significantly reduce” the cost of the emergency room.
“It’s part of the overall $7 million in savings we’re counting on to get the hospital to financial stability,” said Tom Huebner, who was appointed by Gov. Phil Scott to help guide the hospital to financial solvency.
The financial audit found the organization lost $14 million in two years. Springfield Hospital recently announced its birthing center will close this June. The organization also cut salaries and eliminated 27 positions earlier this year to find savings.
In addition to new faces in the emergency room, patients will receive two bills going forward — one from Springfield Hospital and one for services from Bluewater.
The transition from ESNE to Bluewater was announced last October. The contract with Springfield Hospital is Bluewater’s first outside of Maine.
After struggling to find employees to staff Springfield’s emergency room, Bluewater CEO Jay Mullen said he has a core team of four experienced emergency physicians in place. Mullen has also moved to Vermont to oversee operations for the next several months. He said he spent the day at Springfield Hospital prior to the transition.
In a previous interview he said he hoped to provide a better level of service than what’s been in place at the hospital.
