The community reaction to a decision recently by Eastern Maine Healthcare to remove Dr. Ted Silver as a member of Eastern Maine Medical Center’s board was so strong, in part, because it represents a larger pattern of instances in which the hospital and its medical staff have clashed. There is clear disappointment and anger over the deterioration of this relationship, but there is also hope, which explains a tentative, encouraging sign this week of cooperation.

The proposed change would have EMH, without altering its opinion of Dr. Silver’s alleged irreconcilable conflict of interest as a partner in a competing practice, agree under certain conditions to have his removal from the board deferred until the end of his term, which is a year from now. No one has yet said what the other conditions are and they must also be acceptable to the medical staff, but the fact that the two entities are trying to find accommodation is a positive turn of events. To have the proposal emerge during such a difficult time shows courage and leadership by the idea’s initiators.

It is difficult to underestimate how important an effectively operating EMMC is to Maine. The hospital serves a huge region; it supports other medical facilities across the state; it is crucial to the health care of hundreds of thousands of people. The disagreement over who sits on the board may not directly affect care, but the many issues surrounding that disagreement do. Resolving the current conflict and finding a means for calming others is in everyone’s interest.

Whether the two sides in this debate can reach agreement should be apparent by mid January. It is important that the issue be resolved, that a similar situation be answered in the case of Dr. Silver’s professional partner, Dr. Robert Allen, who, as the elected vice president of the medical staff, is guaranteed a seat on the board yet has similar alleged conflicts. It is also important that future disagreements have a better path for resolution than what exists currently. This will require a lot more courage and leadership, but the alternative is conflict that is not healthy for the hospital or its patients.