FARMINGTON — Franklin Community Health Network, which includes Franklin Memorial Hospital, has begun the process of becoming a member of the MaineHealth system. Maine Medical Center in Portland is also in the system.

The decision to join MaineHealth was unanimously approved by the FCHN board of directors earlier this week.

The board analyzed options for the network’s future over the past six months and concluded that membership in the MaineHealth system would protect the delivery and quality of health care in the greater Franklin County area.

“We did our homework and decided that MaineHealth was the best option for us,” said Joseph Bujold, chairman of the Franklin Community Health Network board of directors. “This decision best positions our organization to assure health care services for our communities for the next generation.”

Fewer than 15 percent of all hospitals in the nation remain independent, and with the downturn in the economy and health care reform, many independent hospitals are in merger discussions.

“The changing landscape of government reimbursement, the increasing costs to deliver health care, increasing regulation and a drive to improve quality is paving the way for many small hospitals to seek membership in larger systems,” said Rebecca Arsenault, president and CEO of Franklin Community Health Network.

“MaineHealth’s access to technology and specialists will help our hospital to more fully develop quality health care models,” Arsenault said. “We’re thrilled to be bringing the resources of Maine’s premier health system to our community.”

MaineHealth President Bill Caron said, “Membership will help Franklin Community Health Network maximize its delivery of care to patients, realize efficiencies and cost savings and ensure health care remains available in the area.”

As the two organizations begin the process, they will simultaneously prepare an application to the state of Maine for a Certificate of Need and request an antitrust review. No issues are anticipated during this process; the merger is expected to be completed by late 2014.

St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center in Lewiston is affiliated with, but not a full member of, MaineHealth. St. Mary’s spokesman Russ Donahue lauded the merger.

“We think regional partnerships lead to better health outcomes and we think people working together is a good thing,” he said.

However, not everyone in Maine’s hospital community is happy with the idea of a merger. Chuck Gill, spokesman for Central Maine Healthcare in Lewiston, a MaineHealth competitor, said he was concerned Franklin County-area patients would be shifted away from local care to MaineHealth’s biggest hospital, Maine Medical Center in Portland.

“It’s disappointing because we have worked with (Franklin Memorial) for years,” Gill said. “We’ll continue to work with physicians in the community and every patient and give them top quality care right here in Lewiston, because why should people in Franklin County travel 50 more miles for health care they can get locally?”