To the Editor:

In 1978, I moved to Bath and began my 33 years practicing internal medicine and endocrinology.

I was soon aware of the wasteful competition going on between Bath Memorial Hospital and Regional Memorial Hospital in Brunswick. Over the following decade or more, efforts to bring Bath Memorial and Regional together gathered steam. When the merger of the boards of trustees was achieved and we were planning a new hospital, many in Bath expressed deep concerns about “losing our hospital.”

I suspect all who had these feelings are now proud and happy with the current Mid Coast Hospital. It serves both communities extremely well and with improved efficiency.

Despite my years in the community, I have never fully understood the cause for the antagonism between Parkview and Mid Coast. I know my relationship with all the physicians at Parkview has been one of mutual respect and admiration.

I urge those partisans for Parkview to reflect and consider the long view. As a community, we will all benefit from a partnership between Mid Coast and Parkview. Central Maine Medical Center’s motivation is only to improve its own market share, not to improve efficiency in the cost of providing convenient, topquality care for our region.

Daniel H. Wood, MD
Woolwich