Central Maine Healthcare Ends ER Staffing Contract With BlueWater

Central Maine Healthcare, acquired by Prime Healthcare Foundation in February, has terminated its emergency department staffing agreement with BlueWater Emergency Partners, effective Jan. 12, 2027. BlueWater currently supplies about 35 clinician full-time equivalents across three hospitals: Central Maine Medical Center, Bridgton Hospital and Rumford Hospital. BlueWater says the dispute centers on contract economics rather than clinical performance, and Central Maine Healthcare is now evaluating other national emergency medicine groups, including Vituity, while saying most current ED physicians will remain regardless of which firm is selected. The change follows more than 500 staff departures and a CEO replacement since the Prime acquisition closed in February.