Overview
- On Oct. 20, condolence letters meant for next of kin were mailed to living patients and referenced steps to resolve supposed estates.
- MaineHealth says none of the affected individuals were marked deceased in their medical records and that care status was unchanged.
- The organization reports the malfunction has been corrected and apology letters have been sent to all 531 recipients.
- An anonymous Sanford patient described the notice as shocking and contacted MaineHealth to confirm she was alive and to seek assurance.
- Coverage noted precedent for such errors, citing a 2021 Saint Alphonsus mail‑merge incident, and highlighted heightened public attention following a recent $25 million Maine civil verdict involving a MaineHealth‑owned provider.