BY SCOTT MONROE

Staff Writer

WATERVILLE -- For Paul Boghossian, it wasn't just the message, but the way it was delivered.

"I thought it was very compelling; like they were really speaking from the heart," Boghossian said.

Boghossian, the developer behind the emerging Hathaway Creative Center project, was among about 150 people who turned out Tuesday night at the Thomas College Ayotte Auditorium to learn and ask questions about a new study on MaineGeneral Medical Center's proposal to consolidate operations and build a new inpatient hospital in Augusta.

Laurie LaChance, president of the Maine Development Foundation, spent most of the forum's time explaining the economic-impact study conducted by her nonprofit organization. Hospital officials, meanwhile, stressed a change-or-die theme in advocating for the $322 million consolidation proposal.

MaineGeneral's plan is to stop inpatient services at its Thayer campus in Waterville, close its Seton campus in Waterville and in-town Augusta hospital, and build a new, state-of-the-art inpatient hospital in north Augusta, adjacent to the Harold Alfond Center for Cancer Care. The modern hospital is planned to open in 2015 and is intended to attract new doctors and visitors who have in recent years left for other hospitals to the south and north of the Augusta-Waterville area, accounting for some $64 million MaineGeneral hopes to recapture.

In part, the forum also served as a public kick-off to the hospital system's campaign for the project's approval; MaineGeneral plans to officially notify state regulators this week of the project proposal.

Scott Bullock, president and CEO of MaineGeneral Health, the hospital system's parent company, asked for audience members' support for a project that's "important to our future," while acknowledging that "not everyone will want this to happen."

After the forum, Boghossian acknowledged that MaineGeneral was among the Hathaway Center's early anchor tenants -- with offices on a whole floor for its HealthReach Network -- but he said Tuesday night's forum further sold him on the hospital system's intentions. "I really think they have the best interests of the community at heart," he said.

Driving the MaineGeneral proposal, LaChance said, are a host of changes to the health-care industry. Key among those, she said, are new doctors who have more specialized expertise and expectations of larger, modern facilities; and demographic trends in Maine that point to an aging population and rising health-care needs and costs.

"It's imperative we have the new inpatient facility. Otherwise, we're going to dwindle," said Dr. Cameron McKee.

Among the key findings in the economic impact study are that the consolidation will result in a short-term, $3.9 million drop in local economic activity because of jobs cuts and other efficiencies. But it also says construction of a new hospital will bring more than $266 million in direct and indirect spending.

The consolidation is expected to move 380 jobs from Waterville to Augusta, but those jobs could be regained with higher outpatient services in Waterville over the next decade or so.

Chuck Hays, president and CEO of MaineGeneral Medical Center, aimed to clear up "confusion" he's heard people have about the hospital project. He ticked off a laundry list of services that would remain at Waterville's Thayer campus, including an emergency department, day surgery and more.

"I know there's been a lot of misunderstanding about what's going to be at Thayer," Hays said. "It will be a complete, comprehensive outpatient center."

Bullock pointed to the Alfond cancer center as the key example of what officials want to accomplish with the new hospital. After a year, the center has now recruited four new oncologists and the center has grown by 20 percent, he said.

"Despite our best efforts, cancer is growing," Bullock said, though he said the modern facility is the reason the center has been able to attract quality doctors and serve more people. And, "we're certain a new hospital will allow us to do the same thing."

Scott Monroe -- 861-9253

smonroe@centralmaine.com