NORWAY — Renovations to four key departments at MaineHealth Stephens Hospital are underway. 

While the hospital’s overall footprint will not increase, Stephens’ emergency, infusion therapy, surgical and maternity departments will see significant upgrades within its walls.

When many rural hospitals and facilities are pulling back or closing outright, Stephens’ expansion is bucking a countrywide trend.

“Bridgton Hospital shut down its obstetrical services, as have Rumford Hospital and St. Mary’s Hospital in Lewiston,” Stephens President Jeff Noblin says. “And Northern Light Inland Hospital in Waterville has closed, as have at least five others in northern and eastern parts of the state.

“It’s an environment where you have health systems and smaller hospitals facing financial headwinds and having to make decisions on closing. Cuts to MaineCare and other challenges are going to create a turbulent environment.”

As part of the MaineHealth system, which in western Maine includes Franklin County and North Conway hospitals, Stephens has been fortunate to weather many of the financial storms in recent years, Noblin said. “And we are making decisions now to better position ourselves for the future.”

Stephens has seen significant increases of inpatient and outpatient services due to other rural facilities scaling back or closing, including its maternity department. The increased demand for care is the impetus for the current renovation.

Work began Aug. 4 and is being done in phases. It is expected to be completed by April of 2027. 

“Surgical services will also be impacted,” Noblin explained. “The Endoscopy department is being relocated from the first to second floor to be next to Surgery. And we’re expanding our preop and postop units for both suites.”

Stephens IV Therapy/Infusions Department will move to a larger suite to provide patients with a more comfortable and quieter setting. Instead of an open room, treatments will be provided in semi-private cubicles with room for family members and caregivers to accompany patients.

“There will be functional changes and aesthetic improvements to our Family Birth Center,” Noblin said. “We are expanding our nursery space; we’ve had as many as five births going on at one time. In June there were 37 births here, which is a busy month. We’re providing more and more maternity care and Stephens is committed to supporting the increased demand.”

The Emergency Department will expand from nine to 13 treatment rooms. Two will be dedicated to handling behavioral health cases and the other two will be “flex” rooms that can be used for both physical and mental health care.

“Being part of MaineHealth we have the advantage of access to system resources, including Maine Behavioral Health,” said Noblin. “Our emergency staff is trained to deal with mental health presentations and we have immediate crisis resources ready to respond 24 hours a day, seven days a week, through both the Oxford County Crisis Resources and Sweetser.”

Stephens’ expansion is being funded by MaineHealth, which has also applied for congressionally directed spending grants through U.S. Sen. Susan Collins’ office to help offset costs. Shepley Bulfinch of Boston, Mass. and Hartford, Conn., is the architect. The general contractor is Landry French of Scarborough.

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