Brewer-based Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems ended partnerships with two Maine addiction treatment sites that are naming former EMHS physicians in a $1 billion lawsuit against opioid manufacturers, the health system announced May 17.
As a result of the opioid lawsuit, the health system, which includes Eastern Maine Medical Center and Acadia Hospital in Bangor as well as Mercy Hospital in Portland, withdrew from participation in the Community Health Leadership Board and the Greater Portland Addiction Collaborative.
These organizations consist of partnerships between healthcare providers and local government that aim to increase understanding of substance use prevention, treatment and recovery. The health system will likely withdraw from additional efforts if other cities join the lawsuit, according to the news release.
"We are concerned that some physicians, formerly employed by EMHS member organizations, will be named in the suit as a legal tactic to keep the cases in Maine state courts," the health system stated in the news release. "By suing individual physicians, these cities and counties have essentially named EMHS and any member organization that employed these physicians in the opioid lawsuit."
The lawsuit claims EMHS and its physicians caused the community's opioid abuse crisis and led to $1 billion in damages, linked to such costs as law enforcement, first responders, public health and social services..
"While we recognize that the terrible opioid abuse epidemic will require strong community partnerships, we have no choice but to withdraw from initiatives where participants include cities and counties that are suing us. Nevertheless, we will continue working on our own initiatives to address this serious public health threat, and we look forward to rejoining broader community efforts as soon as this matter is behind us," the news release stated.