Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston is at risk of losing Medicare funding after CMS found the hospital out of compliance with three of the program’s conditions of participation.
Inspectors conducted an unannounced complaint survey at the hospital in late August, identifying several deficiencies regarding its governing body, infection prevention and control, and the facility’s physical environment, according to an Oct. 8 inspection report obtained by Becker’s.
On Aug. 21, surveyors watched the sterile processing manager open four surgical instrument trays marked ready for use. All four were contaminated with an unidentified orange-yellow substance, according to the report. Staff said the staining had been a known problem since 2023, and the manager said no trays had ever been sent back because doing so would halt surgeries.
The state declared immediate jeopardy Aug. 21 and lifted it Aug. 24 after confirming corrective steps. Surveyors also cited damage, rust or water intrusion in six of seven operating rooms observed, along with expired airway supplies.
The system’s infection prevention risk assessments flagged perioperative contamination at the hospital as high risk in fiscal 2025 and 2026. However, the hospital’s board chair told surveyors the problems came to light only during the inspection survey.
In an Oct. 8 letter to Central Maine Medical Center CEO Allen Stefanek, CMS said it also pulled the hospital’s deemed status, placing it under state survey oversight. The hospital must submit a plan of correction within 10 days of receiving the letter. If it does not come into compliance, CMS may move to terminate its Medicare agreement by Jan. 6, 2027.
In an Oct. 13 statement shared with Becker’s, a CMMC spokesperson said the hospital has “no evidence that any instrument used in patient care at CMMC was non-sterile or contaminated” and that its surgical site infection rate has consistently stayed below the national average.
After the state’s August review, the hospital paused non-urgent surgeries to conduct a more thorough assessment of its sterile processing department. Its operating rooms have since returned to normal operations. The hospital said it has implemented corrective measures that include updated policies, enhanced quality audits and ongoing monitoring.
“We are committed to maintaining rigorous sterilization standards, addressing identified opportunities for improvement, and ensuring patients receive care in an environment focused on quality and safety,” the spokesperson said.
Central Maine Medical Center is the flagship facility of Central Maine Healthcare, which Ontario, Calif.-based Prime Healthcare acquired in February.
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