The medical director at the hospital said the facility’s dealing with chronic overcapacity for months, adding that an influx of extra hospital stays is throughout the rest of Horizon Health Network. Figures from the health authority show the 146-bed facility was operating at 110% in November. The number dipped in December to 105.8% and then climbed back up in January to a new high of 118.7%. Those numbers are the second highest of any hospital under Horizon, topped only by occupancy rates at Upper River Valley Hospital in Waterville. The hospital’s medical director indicates there are a number of reasons combined that create the influx. He adds that the overcapacity isn't solely due to the senior population but that as the local demographic shifts to those who are older, the hospital tends to see more illness and increased hospitalizations rates.
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