LEWISTON — Central Maine Healthcare’s patient ride service to and from Rumford, which was disrupted earlier this month, is back in service, a health care official said Friday.
While the service has been reinstated, whether it will continue is being evaluated.
A patient contacted the Sun Journal recently complaining the hospital had canceled shuttle service between Rumford Hospital and Central Maine Medical Center, which are affiliated. The service interruption impacted patients from that area getting treatments at CMMC, such as cancer patients.
Chief Medical Officer John Alexander said in an email that the ride service experienced a brief disruption “that stemmed from miscommunication during personnel changes in our organization.”
The ride service used to be well used by patients, Alexander said, however “ridership has dwindled to the point where we need to assess whether its operation is the best use of resources for our patients and communities.” He did not provide ridership numbers.
During the period the ride service was disrupted, Alexander said, Central Maine Healthcare did not receive any complaints from patients.
Regardless, he said, the organization “will do better at communicating any developments to patients who use this service.”
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