BAR HARBOR — The Mount Desert Island Hospital posted a loss of $2.3 million for fiscal year 2012, officials revealed at the group’s annual meeting Monday.

Even with the deficit, the hospital provided nearly $4 million in free and uncompensated care, more than in any other year, officials said. Technology improvements continued, and the organization was named overall best performer by Avatar International for an unprecedented 10th year.

Contributing to the operating loss was a total of $18 million not received from state Medicaid, federal Medicare and insurance companies that do not pay the full amount of their patients’ bills. Investment activities also suffered, with a posted $371,000 loss.

“The current challenges facing the industry did not escape Mount Desert Island Hospital or our affiliates,” treasurer Chrissi Maguire-Harding said. These included stagnant volumes, the aforementioned reduced reimbursements, and rising costs.

Several measures taken during the second half of the fiscal year, which ended on April 30, helped to mitigate losses somewhat, she said. These included several layoffs and cost cutting and efficiency measures.

Approximately 150 people gathered at the Bar Harbor Club for the meeting, which included speeches from collaborating physicians from the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine and others. Jackson Laboratory president Edison Liu was the keynote speaker.

MDIH provided 575 jobs in fiscal year 2012, with a payroll of $26 million. Total operating expenses were $58.9 million. Hospital health centers saw 72,663 outpatient visits, while the emergency department received 6,812 patients. 112 births were posted.

For more health news, pick up a copy of the Mount Desert Islander.