2015 Annual Report - MaineGeneral Health Office of Philanthropy

A JOUR NAL O F WE L L N E S S A N D GO O D H E A LTH C A RE
Elder Care
It takes a village
FA L L 2 0 1 5
Message from the CEO
Meeting your health care needs
now and into the future
Health care delivery is changing at a
rapid pace. At MaineGeneral, we’ve
brought some of the best minds and
talent together to make sure the level of
care you receive is of the highest quality
— every person, every time.
In this issue of HealthMatters, we focus
on geriatric (seniors) care as an example
of how we will meet the health needs
of you and your family now and into
the future.
Maine is the oldest state in the nation.
The good news is that people are living
longer. We have a great quality of life
here in Maine, including high-quality
health care.
But nationally, the health care workforce
is ill-prepared for the increased health
care needs of the aging baby boomer
generation.
At MaineGeneral, we are working to
meet this challenge — and we’re finding
opportunities that will mean better care
for all our people. We recognize the
importance of being at the forefront
of care for our aging population, and
for making sure that all this care is
coordinated across our system.
HealthMatters is published as a service for
the people of the Kennebec Valley region.
Information is written by MaineGeneral’s
Marketing and Communications staff.
MaineGeneral Health
35 Medical Center Parkway • Augusta, ME
149 North Street • Waterville, ME
2 HealthMatters
We’ve been preparing for this next
level of truly integrated care for seniors.
We identified key improvements in
how we care for our elders — from
prevention and management of health
problems to long-term care and home
care needs, and any treatment needed
in between.
Experts have been working together to
make sure that the best care based on
real-world outcomes is being shared
and followed in every MaineGeneral
department and service. The
MaineGeneral system of care is focused
on the needs of our aging population,
and treating each senior with the
respect, compassion and the expertise
he or she deserves.
We are doing more than just treating
your illness; we’re working with you as
a team to keep you living the way you
want to live.
We are your partners in health,
providing tools to manage short- and
long-term illness, caring for you in the
hospital and providers’ offices, and
helping you stay healthy at home.
Nicole O. McSweeney
Executive Editor
Vice President,
Development and
Communications
Joy McKenna
Editor/Writer
John D. Begin
Writer/Photographer
Juliet Graves
Writer
Sarah B. Webster
Writer
Benjamin Wheeler
Photographer
Board of Directors
Peter Alfond
Stephanie Calkins, MD,
Chair
Douglas Cutchin
Cathy DeMerchant
Elissa Emmons
David Flanagan
Peter Guzzetti, DO, DDS
David Hay, MD
Chuck Hays
Jeffrey Hubert
Our goal is to make sure all these
places we connect with you are linked
so your medications are managed
correctly; your personal desires for
your health are followed no matter
where we care for you; and that we
always treat you as an individual.
As health care evolves, we want to
be responsive to your needs and a
partner in your care. It’s a privilege
to serve our family, friends and
community in the Kennebec Valley.
Chuck Hays
President & CEO
MaineGeneral Health
Mark Johnston
Joey Joseph
Janice Kassman
James LaLiberty, Esq.
Barbara Mayer
Roy Miller, MD
Gary Peachey
Gordon Pow
William Sprague
Matthew Tardiff
[email protected]
www.mainegeneral.org
Information in HealthMatters
comes from a wide range of
medical experts. If you have any
concerns or questions about
specific content that may affect
your health, please contact your
health care provider.
Models may be used in photos
and illustrations.
Copyright© 2015
a village approach
Providing comprehensive geriatrics care through
By John D. Begin
In the oldest state in the nation based on
average median age, a modified axiom
about child rearing applies — it does
take a village to care for Maine’s geriatric
population.
MaineGeneral Health’s commitment to
its aging patients is strong. An effort
led by geriatricians Dr. Roger Renfrew
and Dr. Annette Beyea — with active
participation from many peers — is
creating a comprehensive geriatric
medicine model of care to serve the
needs of our seniors.
According to U.S. Census Bureau
statistics, Maine’s population is the
oldest in the U.S. — and getting older.
Modern advancements are helping
people live longer than ever before,
which is creating a troubling trend in
light of the resources needed to meet
ever-growing demands for elder care.
“The major challenge is the increasing
demand on primary care practices,” said
Renfrew, medical director for Geriatric
Systems at MaineGeneral. “Most care
provided to older adults now and for
the foreseeable future will depend upon
primary care.
“The flip side is that there are
tremendous opportunities to create
structures and systems to meet this
growing demand,” he added.
Renfrew’s passion for creating a geriatric
system of care is evident. “It’s why I’m
not retired,” he noted, referring to efforts
to build a system aimed at providing the
best, most coordinated care possible for
area elders.
What is a geriatric system of care?
Elderly patients and their caregivers are
at the center of MaineGeneral’s geriatric
system of care.
The medical care and support they need
— primary or emergency care, inpatient
hospital care, skilled nursing or longterm care and home health services
— are closest to that center, as they
represent the most immediate care older
patients receive.
Other services — such as geriatricspecific services, specialty or surgical
care, psychiatry, pharmacy, palliative
care — extend from that core, as
does the potential involvement of
MaineGeneral’s Community Care Team
and other forms of community support.
continued on page 4
MaineGeneral’s Geriatric Steering Committee
HealthMatters 3
a village approach
Renfrew said the goal is to provide
excellent, seamless care to older adults
across the continuum.
The early response from patients and
their caregivers to his team’s initiatives
is glowing, especially through the
inpatient Hospital Elder Life Program
(HELP), led by Dr. Nate Harmon, which
started at the Alfond Center for Health
(ACH) in early 2015.
“Much of our work so far involves
behind-the-scenes efforts, but HELP is
getting very direct, positive feedback,”
Renfrew said.
Assembling the villagers
Maine’s shortage of geriatrics-trained
specialists isn’t unique; the problem
exists nationally.
But MaineGeneral’s geriatrics team
and standing committees are focused
on educating and training its system’s
medical providers and staff to make
them home-grown geriatricians.
continued from page 3
Beyea, who came to MaineGeneral in
June 2015 and divides her time between
serving as Maine-Dartmouth Family
Medicine Residency’s (MDFMR) Geriatric
Fellowship Program director and doing
geriatrics systems work with Renfrew,
calls this effort “geriatricizing.”
Colleague Melanie Thompson, MD,
medical director for MaineGeneral’s
primary care practices, said the effort is
critical to meeting patient needs.
“We know primary care will be on the
front line. That’s why we need help with
across-the-spectrum resources and
collaboration,” she said. “Our providers
see geriatric patients now; we just need
to become acutely aware of their special
needs and what resources exist for them.
We’re committed to seeing our patients
through end of life, so geriatrics is very
important to us.”
Another group of “villagers,” Beyea said,
are MDFMR residents who complete a
four-week geriatrics rotation during their
first year of residency. Their introduction
to geriatrics leads some of them to later
complete the year-long fellowship she
oversees.
Beyea is restructuring the fellowship
curriculum to strengthen specialty
rotations with such areas as
neurology and physical medicine and
rehabilitation, “because I want to train
and retain this provider expertise for our
community.”
Dr. Kelli Mayfield is the medical director
for MaineGeneral Rehabilitation and
Long-Term Care’s (MGRLTC) facilities at
Gray Birch and Glenridge in Augusta.
She and her team are another group of
key “villagers.”
Mayfield said an important initiative
her group has helped implement is
consistent, two-way communication
and collaboration between MGRLTC
providers and those at MaineGeneral’s
System approach to senior care
MaineGeneral Health has developed
several initiatives in its efforts to
create a comprehensive geriatric
system of care to meet the needs of
its aging patient population.
Among those that have been
implemented are:
• The Hospital Elder Life Program (HELP)
at the Alfond Center for Health (ACH).
Created in early 2015, it is designed to
prevent delirium and help decrease the
length of stay for hospitalized patients.
• A pilot project to improve two-way
communication among Emergency
Department (ED), Hospitalist Service
4 HealthMatters
providers and long-term care facilities
for shared patients. When patients
come to the ED, for example, an
electronic form prompts a flow of
information to help ED providers
understand patient issues and
communicate with providers at the
facility as patients return.
• More collaborative relationships
between the geriatrics team and other
medical specialists at MaineGeneral,
particularly in the areas of palliative
care and oncology. Another effort with
Cardiology aims to integrate screening
for memory problems for patients with
congestive heart failure.
• A pilot program at five MaineGeneral
primary care practices to provide a
standardized approach to screening for
and managing patients with dementia.
Tools to support this effort were built
into the electronic medical record
program ultimately to be used at the
practice sites.
• Collaboration among MaineGeneral’s
orthopaedic, rehabilitation and
primary care providers to help prevent
“second fractures” in older patients
who have sustained a fracture. The
prevention effort involves appropriate
management of bone health in terms
of medication, physical therapy and
exercise regimens.
Emergency Department and
Hospitalist Service for patients
they share.
“Coordinated transition of care
for our patients is so important in
helping to prevent ED visits and
re-hospitalization,” she said. “We’re
developing a very positive model and
everyone is focused on providing the
best care possible for our patients.”
While acknowledging that a lot of
hard work still exists in developing a
comprehensive geriatrics program,
Renfrew is extremely pleased with the
village’s accomplishments to date.
“We have the organizational
commitment, the intellectual
resources of the people in our
geriatrics program and an enthusiasm
about the work — from multiple
levels,” he said. “There’s a very
‘can-do’ culture here that’s going to
make it happen.”
Providing
By Joy McKenna
HELP
At MaineGeneral Medical Center,
some of our oldest patients have new
companions during their hospital
stay. The Hospital Elder Life Program
— or HELP — has been piloted at the
hospital since February and has led to
significant benefits for patients and for
those who are caring for them.
“HELP can shorten a patient’s stay and
decrease the likelihood of readmission,”
said Amy Perez-Blaisdell, elder
care specialist who oversees HELP
at MaineGeneral. “It can make the
difference between a patient returning
home or going to a long-term care
facility.”
Volunteers are making a difference
by partnering with patients 70 years
and older who have been identified as
being at risk for delirium — confusion
that can accompany a hospital stay for
seniors.
The success of HELP relies on many
factors. An assessment is made of
elderly patients around the time of
admission to identify those at risk for
delirium. Volunteers then are paired
with the patients, visiting about
five patients a day. During visits, the
volunteers talk to the patients. They
may play card games or engage in
other activities, or just enjoy each
other’s company. As they build bonds,
volunteers track each patient’s mood
and physical and mental state. If they
sense problems, they alert medical staff
to ensure early intervention.
About 20 percent of patients age 70
and older develop delirium, which can
prolong hospital stays and lead to falls
or other problems.
So far, less than 3 percent of the seniors
participating in the HELP program have
developed delirium. Hospital stays for
these adults have been reduced by one
day — a significant reduction both for
the comfort of patients who can go
home quicker, and for saving money.
“Volunteers may see changes in
behavior or alertness that may show
a problem with medications, for
example,” Perez-Blaisdell said.
continued on page 7
HealthMatters 5
Charting a course of care through
expert evaluation
By John D. Begin
Geriatrician Annette Beyea, DO,
MPH, who oversees the clinic in
addition to her work as director of the
Maine-Dartmouth Family Medicine
Residency’s Geriatric Fellowship
Program, said the services it provides
— along with those of other aspects
of the geriatric medicine program —
empower caregivers like Bell to make
the best, most informed decisions
about their loved one’s care.
Like many adult children with aging
parents, Sue Bell was concerned when
her mother began showing signs of
memory loss seven years ago.
Bell, who lives in Augusta, wanted
to know the cause of the symptoms,
whether they were physical or
possibly cognitive.
Fortunately for Bell’s family,
MaineGeneral’s Geriatric Consultation
Clinic was there to help.
Located at the Family Medicine
Institute in Augusta, the clinic is
a key and longstanding part of
MaineGeneral’s comprehensive
geriatric medicine program.
The information and recommendations
the clinic provides patients and their
caregivers and primary care providers
— through diagnostic testing and
a thorough patient evaluation —
are invaluable, said Bell, whose father
also was evaluated in 2013 for
different issues.
“It’s a great service and I’m very
happy it was available to us. The staff
takes a comprehensive approach
diagnostically, both in terms of the
patient’s medical history and cognitive
capability,” she said. “Their efforts have
helped me provide care, support and
comfort to my parents and work more
effectively with their primary care
physicians.”
Bell noted that her mother and father,
who now are 87 and 93, respectively,
still live independently in the area. The
support the family received through
6 HealthMatters
“It’s a great service and
I’m very happy it was
available to us. The staff
takes a comprehensive
approach diagnostically,
both in terms of the
patient’s medical
history and cognitive
capability.” Sue Bell
the clinic and other MaineGeneral
geriatric services has helped make that
possible.
“The proactive steps we took following
her 2008 evaluation allowed us to
prevent further disease progression,”
she said. “When my mother was
reevaluated in 2015, we learned that
while there were other symptoms, we
had done everything possible to keep
her comfortable and functional.”
“The more we can equip them to feel
they have support and people to turn
to, the better off they’re going to be
in terms of keeping their loved one at
home longer,” she said.
What the clinic evaluates
Beyea said the clinic has been
privileged to offer primarily memory
disorder evaluations over the years.
Now, with a growing faculty,
a fellowship training program
and a commitment to expanded
collaborative partnerships with primary
care, the interdisciplinary geriatric team
wants to be a resource to primary care
providers and specialists supporting
healthy aging and serving patients
and caregivers facing complex chronic
illnesses and many geriatric conditions.
Patients can be referred to the clinic by
their primary care providers for many
issues, including:
•
•
Memory loss, dementia or delirium
A review of their medications if they
are taking multiple medications or
are concerned about showing adverse medication effects
Providing
HELP
Continued from page 5
Among the dedicated HELP
volunteers has been a group of
students who have sought to make
a difference helping others. One
of them is 18-year-old Samantha
“Sammy” Alanis of Oakland. She
spent one day a week her entire
summer off from Wheelock College
in Boston helping some of her eldest
neighbors.
“I love it,” Alanis said. “I’ve learned
a lot about the differences in
experiences the patients have and
most importantly that a positive
attitude can change a lot.”
“The more we can
equip them to feel
they have support and
people to turn to, the
better off they’re going
to be in terms of keeping
their loved one at home
longer.”
Like other HELP volunteers, Alanis
spends about an hour with each
patient.
“I know I make a difference because
I can ease their fears. Sometimes
people just need to talk.”
The HELP program is free to patients,
and the benefits are huge. Following
the successful pilot that ended
in August, the program hopes to
expand to other floors.
“I know I make a
difference because
I can ease their
fears. Sometimes
people just need to
talk.” Sammy Alanis
“Everyone involved in HELP has gotten
so much out of the experience — our
patients as well as our volunteers,”
Perez-Blaisdell said. “We’re so pleased
with the results and are happy to
extend this service so more people can
benefit.”
If you want to be a HELP volunteer,
call Amy Perez-Blaisdell at 626-1150.
Geriatrician Annette Beyea, DO, MPH
•
•
•
•
Signs of the onset of movement
disorders such as Parkinson’s disease
Issues with falling or a risk for falls and related injuries
Symptoms of functional decline
Issues related to advance care
planning and end-of-life care
To learn more about the Geriatric
Consultation Clinic, please speak
with your primary care provider or
call (207) 626-1564.
HELP volunteers: Calvin Robbins,
Kayla Goggin, Chloe Dubois and
Aleise Pecoy
HealthMatters 7
MGH Finds a NICHE
By Sarah B. Webster
Baby boomers are the largest
generation in American history, making
up nearly 25 percent of the population.
As boomers turn 65, health care
organizations like MaineGeneral are
finding their NICHE, as in their Nurses
Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders
designation.
NICHE is a nurse-driven program
designed to help hospitals and health
care organizations improve the care
of older adults. “Most of our patients
are older and have unique needs,”
explained Rochelle Findlay, MSN,
RN-BC, administrative director, Clinical
Education & Practice and co-leader of
“Most of our patients are older and
have unique needs. NICHE principles
and tools will help us make sure all
patients 65 and older receive sensitive
and exemplary nursing care.”
Rochelle Findlay, MSN, RN-BC
8 HealthMatters
“Nurses are at the heart of patientcentered care. Patients need to know
we’re working together no matter
where a patient is in our system to
provide the very best care tailored to
their needs.” Laurie Bourgoin, RN, MBA, CHPCA
this project. “NICHE principles and
tools will help us make sure all patients
65 and over receive sensitive and
exemplary nursing care.”
Since receiving the NICHE designation
last fall, MaineGeneral has formed a
NICHE Leadership Team comprised
of six highly engaged individuals
from across the system, as well as an
implementation team to help decide
how we will bring NICHE to the rest
of the organization. Both teams
completed specialized training in
geriatric nursing and are now piloting
the Geriatric Resource Nurse (GRN)
Model on an inpatient unit at the
Alfond Center for Health, a dementia
unit at Glenridge and the skilled
rehabilitation unit at Gray Birch. Nurses
and certified nursing assistants on
these units are now participating in
NICHE training.
“The training lasts for 12 weeks and
combines web-based, classroom,
independent study and hands-on
learning,” Findlay said. “It’s very
thorough and covers a full range of
topics related to geriatrics. It even
includes aging sensitivity training
where the participants wear goggles
to impede their vision, for example, to
see first hand what it might feel like to
be older and impaired. It has been quite
enlightening for staff!”
The NICHE team administered a
pre-test to gauge staff knowledge
of older patients’ needs before they
started the training. Once they graduate
in February of 2016, these nurses and
CNAs will be re-tested to see how much
they learned. MaineGeneral will also
look at data on patient falls, delirium in
older patients, length of stay and other
information to gauge the success of the
NICHE program before expanding it to
other units.
“A patient or resident should decline
only as a natural progression of his/
her illness or condition,” Findlay said.
“Being in a hospital or facility is a
big adjustment for them, and we as
caregivers need to be sensitive to that
so we can catch problems early, identify
and implement effective solutions.
That’s what the training and NICHE are
all about.”
and Hospice and NICHE co-leader at
MaineGeneral. “Patients need to know
we’re working together no matter
where a patient is in our system to
provide the very best care tailored to
their needs.”
Findlay agreed. “We have learned so
much about each other’s services as
we’ve built NICHE, which has been a
wonderful side benefit for us and for
our patients. Collaboration also adds
to NICHE’s potential to prevent issues
and complications and help patients
have the best possible experience at
MaineGeneral.”
Findlay and Bourgoin are confident
NICHE will make a difference. “The
success will be in the stories,” Findlay
said, “from older patients who feel
better and heal faster because our
nursing staff identified an issue, put a
plan in place and prevented a problem
from happening. That leads to better
care, and that’s what we’re here for.”
NICHE is a collaboration across the
entire MaineGeneral system — the
hospital, home care, long-term care
and the physician practices. “Nurses are
at the heart of patient-centered care,”
said Laurie Bourgoin, RN, MBA, CHPCA,
administrative director of HomeCare
HealthMatters 9
Home Care Nurse
Spotlight on the
By Sarah B. Webster
As our population ages, home care
will be used more as people seek care
where they are most comfortable – in
their homes.
Among some of the personnel you
or your family may rely on over the
course of your lifetime of health care
is the home care provider.
MaineGeneral has a skilled,
experienced team of professionals
who provide home health patients
with medication management,
help with personal care and daily
activities, infusion and other medical
services. Each patient has different
needs and we treat all our patients
with the individual attention and
specialized services they need and
deserve.
Many factors drive the nurses, social
workers, therapists and aides to serve
in home care. Each is special and a
critical member of our team.
Here is just one of the stories of a
valued home care team member.
When Mae Simmons was growing
up, the last thing she wanted to be
was a nurse. Now she cannot imagine
10 HealthMatters
“MaineGeneral (then HealthReach)
HomeCare had the best reputation for
giving quality care in the community – and
still does – so I knew I wanted to work
there. I’ve been here 18 years and counting,
which speaks to the diversity of the job.
Every day is different, which I love.”
Mae Simmons
being anything but a home health
nurse with MaineGeneral HomeCare
& Hospice.
before taking a job in home care.
She has been with MaineGeneral
since 1997.
“My mom was a nurse and I didn’t
want to follow in her footsteps,”
Simmons said. “But I knew nursing
offered many career paths, and I
could work anywhere in the country,
so I got a nursing degree as a
backup.”
“MaineGeneral (then HealthReach)
HomeCare had the best reputation
for giving quality care in the
community — and still does — so
I knew I wanted to work there,”
Simmons said. “I thought I’d stay here
a few years because I like change.
I’ve been here 18 years and counting,
which speaks to the diversity of
the job. Every day is different, which
I love.”
Simmons worked on an alcohol
and drug recovery unit part-time
while she earned a master’s degree
in geography. She discovered she
really loved it and decided to pursue
nursing full-time. She worked on
psychiatric units for several years
Simmons loves seeing patients one
at a time and getting to know them
in their real-life environment. “Having
Mae Simmons
us come to them is such a comfort
for patients, and they are so grateful
for our care,” she said. “At the end of
every day, I feel like I’ve really helped
my patients.”
MaineGeneral HomeCare helps patients with:
“HomeCare is more personal because
you are in the patient’s home, and
part of your job is to find out the
real-life issues they’re dealing with,
that could affect their healing,”
Simmons added. “Every patient, every
situation is unique — and I love that.”
• Financial, social and emotional concerns, linking patients with other needed community resources
To learn more about MaineGeneral
HomeCare & Hospice, please call
1-800-466-3227.
• Bathing, grooming, exercising or dressing
• Care management of chronic diseases like heart failure,
diabetes, lung disease or depression
• Home infusion therapy
• Mobility problems, speech issues or difficulties with daily activities
• Monitoring your care needs, medications and changes in your physical condition
• Wound care
HealthMatters 11
IN YOUR COMMUNIT Y
If you’ve been to community events
this past year, you may have seen
our MaineGeneral booth and spun
our Wheel of Health.
From our family medicine and
pediatrics to specialty services,
MaineGeneral medical and support
staff have dedicated many hours
to be at festivals, expos, open
houses and other events to provide
residents with health tips and
information.
Our employees and the Wheel of
Health have been to the Taste of
Waterville, Oakfest, Winthrop Arts
Festival, Ladies Lifestyle Expos and
the Kids Day in the Park, to name
just a few.
When you spin the wheel, we ask
you a basic health care question
like “How many hours of sleep
should you get?” to “What is the
leading cause of skin cancer?”
Everyone who plays wins a prize.
The game is fun for kids and adults.
It’s also a way for us to engage with
you in the hopes that you learn
some easy ways to live healthier,
and how we can help be your
partners in health!
Here are just a few photos of the
Wheel of Health in action over the
past year.
12 HealthMatters
ABOUT ICD-10
On Oct. 1, 2015, MaineGeneral and health care organizations across the
country switched from ICD-9 to ICD-10 code sets. We use these code
sets to report medical diagnoses and hospital procedures to insurance
companies so we can get reimbursed for the services we offer. This is a
requirement for all health care providers covered by the Health Insurance
Portability Accountability Act (HIPAA).
What does this mean for our patients? ICD-10 gives us a more complete
clinical picture of your health conditions and needs. All care providers —
at the hospital and at our physician practices — have the best and most
accurate information at their fingertips when they care for you.
ICD-10 also ties in well with many of MaineGeneral’s initiatives to measure
and improve the quality of our services. The result: better care for you and
our community.
PATIENT PORTAL
Managing your health has gotten easier at MaineGeneral. We recently
launched our online patient portal for patients of our physician
practices and outpatient services. You can have instant access to your
health information 24/7 from any computer, tablet or smartphone.
All we need is your email address so we can invite you to sign up after
your visit with us. To learn more, call your MaineGeneral health care
provider’s office or visit www.mainegeneral.org and click on
FollowMyHealth® Patient Portal.
HealthMatters 13
Now one great service
By Juliet Graves
On July 1, MaineGeneral Health
unveiled the Center for Prevention
and Healthy Living (CPHL), a resource
to help people live healthier lives.
The center expands MaineGeneral’s
Prevention Center and the Healthy
Living Resource Center.
The Prevention Center at MaineGeneral
began in 1998 to support the system’s
mission of enhancing the health of the
people of the Kennebec Valley. The
center links patients to needed care
through:
- patient navigation and community
health workers;
- school flu clinics;
- HIV and Hepatitis C testing;
- needle exchange, emergency opiate
overdose kits and prescription drug
monitoring;
- breast, cervical and colorectal cancer
screening;
- the National Diabetes Prevention
Program, Living Well for Better Health, chronic pain and diabetes
management programs;
- help to quit tobacco;
- medication safety; and
- oral health.
“The Center is building its capacity to
deliver these programs in 62 towns,
making it easy for everyone to access
these services,” said Laura Robbins,
Partnership to Improve Community
Health program manager.
14 HealthMatters
your resource for living a healthier life
These programs are very successful and
have made a positive impact on many
individuals, like George Savage from
Sidney: “I have tried other programs
but I’ve never had success like I have
with the Diabetes Prevention Program.
My blood pressure is down and I have
more energy now.”
The Healthy Living Resource Center
(HLRC), created with funding from the
Peter Alfond Foundation, provides
educational opportunities that support
lifestyle changes that reduce and
eliminate chronic health conditions
and support healthy living and healing.
At its start, HLRC’s Program Leader Joy
Osterhout shared her vision: “We want
to provide tools to transform lives and
create positive, lasting change for our
patients, their families, our employees
and our community.” A year later, the
program is doing just that!
The HLRC offers classes on healthy
cooking and eating, physical
movement, healthy living and healing
resources. These innovative programs
are offered at no or low-cost. “It is very
important to have these affordable
programs available in the community,”
said Donna Dodge, a HLRC class
participant since summer 2014. “Even if
someone cannot afford to pay $15 for a
class, scholarship assistance is in place
to give everyone an opportunity to be
involved.” More than 2,000 people took
advantage of the HLRC’s programs in
its first year.
The Center for Prevention and Healthy
Living provides wellness resources
collaboratively with people in the
Kennebec Valley. “MaineGeneral
provides more than medical care in
our facilities. We are your resource
for living a healthier life,” CEO Chuck
Hays said. “We are meeting people in
the community where they are most
comfortable to provide education and
tools to help them maintain and regain
their health, thanks to the CPHL.“
The CPHL offers assistance over the
phone Monday through Friday from
8 a.m. to 4 p.m. by calling 872-4102.
Louise & George Savage of Sidney,
Diabetes Prevention Program participants
HealthMatters 15
MaineGeneral continues to
lead the way on nutrition
By Joy McKenna
MaineGeneral Health has been
recognized for its leadership role in
working in our communities and
our hospital to provide — and teach —
good nutrition.
The journey began by sponsoring
farmers’ markets in Downtown
Waterville and Mill Park in Augusta.
We purchase increasing amounts
of locally grown produce, dairy and
meats for the medical centers. In July,
our cafeterias began only serving
sugar-free drinks. Recently, the medical
centers became pick-up spots for CSAs
(community supported agriculture).
Our leadership has worked with
MOFGA and Good Shepherd Food
Bank on projects to encourage more
organizations to buy locally and to get
healthy food and cooking skills into
the hands of people in our community.
MaineGeneral even produced a
video about the importance of
buying your food locally (look for it
under our Community Health page
at www.mainegeneral.org).
16 HealthMatters
MaineGeneral’s Food & Nutrition
Services — along with MaineGeneral’s
Center for Prevention and Healthy
Living — has been teaching cooking
and nutrition classes in and outside of
the hospital. They’ve also taken their
show on the road at such events as the
Taste of Waterville.
In fact, a month after being recognized
by Down East Magazine as the Best
Totally Unexpected Lunch Spot in the
state, MaineGeneral’s Food & Nutrition
Services received the Best Entrée
award at the Taste of Waterville.
The dish that took the honors at
this year’s Taste was the Chipotle
Shredded Tofu.
The judges issued this commentary
on the award:
“The Braised Chipotle Tofu had bright
flavor and overall was the tastiest
entrée. That a vegetarian dish held its
own amongst lobster and prime rib
is testament that good for you can
also be good! The spicy hot dish was
presented with a colorful fresh corn salsa
and superfood summer slaw that cooled
the palate. This healthy choice was further
enhanced by the availability of recipe cards
for patrons to take home.”
We’re proud of the work of our chefs,
registered dietitians and all the staff
of Food & Nutrition Services. They’ve
spent years championing healthy
choices both in and outside of the
hospital, recognizing that good nutrition
is the basis of good health.
And as the Taste of Waterville judges
noted, we encourage people to try
our healthy food and we share recipes
so you can be a star chef right in
your home!
Congratulations to MaineGeneral Food
& Nutrition Services for showing that
good-for-you food can taste great and
be affordable. Next time you’re hungry,
consider stopping by the Alfond Center
for Health or Thayer Center for Health
cafeteria to see what all the rave reviews
are about!
Welcome new providers
ANESTHESIOLOGY
Kennebec Anesthesia
Associates
EMERGENCY MEDICINE
Alfond Center for Health
(ACH) and Thayer Center
for Health (TCH)
HOSPITALISTS
MaineGeneral Hospitalist
Service
PHYSIATRY
MaineGeneral
Physiatry
Madhavi Gurram Alu, MD
Walter Geer, DO
Dean Chamberlain, DO
Stephen Nickl, MD
CHILD PSYCHIATRY /
CHILD PSYCHOLOGY
Edmund N. Ervin
Pediatric Center
GERIATRICS
Maine-Dartmouth Family
Medicine Residency
REHABILITATION
Physical Rehabilitation Unit
Lauren Desmarais, DO
Michael Burns, MD
Kristen Heil, PhD
Annette Beyea, DO
Mukta Kapdi, MD
SURGERY
MaineGeneral Surgery
Namita Singh, MD
Nanda Kumar, MD
J. Lindsey Tweed, MD
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES STAFF APPOINTMENTS
John Chase, FNP
MaineGeneral Physiatry
Julie Delory, FNP
MaineGeneral Physiatry
Erik Lickteig, PA-C
MaineGeneral Surgery
Rhonda Selvin, NP
Augusta Family Medicine
Jeffrey Cole, PMHNP
Mental Health &
Substance Abuse Services
Shayne Foley, PA-C
MaineGeneral Express Care
Amanda Napolitano, FNP
Harold Alfond Center
for Cancer Care
Eric Semmel, PA-C
MaineGeneral Express Care
Eric Daniels, PA-C
MaineGeneral Orthopaedics
Eileen Geer, CRNA
Kennebec Anesthesia Associates
Lynn Howard, NP
MaineGeneral Neurology
Rosemary Prentice, FNP
MaineGeneral Emergency
Department
Katelyn St. Pierre, NP
MaineGeneral Surgery
Alena Thompson, FNP
Winthrop Family Medicine
HealthMatters 17
Annual Campaign Donors
List recognizes annual gifts made between
July 1, 2014 and June 30, 2015
Crucial to our ability to meet the ongoing health care needs of those in our region, gifts of annual support
ensure our ability to maintain essential day-to-day programs and services that keep our communities healthy.
Founder’s Circle
($25,000.00 + )
Bill and Joan Alfond
Foundation
Peter Alfond Foundation
United Way of Kennebec Valley
Benefactor’s Circle
($10,000.00 + )
Mr. and Mrs. Albert P. Gagne
MaineGeneral Medical Center
Auxiliary
MGMC Medical Staff
New Balance Foundation
Advisor’s Circle
($5,000.00 + )
Anonymous Donor
Compass Health Analytics
Mr. and Mrs. Robert G. Fuller, Jr.
Drive Out Cancer
Mr. Paul Garelli
Kennebec Savings Bank
Marketplace at Augusta
Town of Moose River
United Way of Mid-Maine
Leadership Circle
($2,500.00 + )
Nona O. Boyink and
Douglas Boyink, MD
C. Caprara Food Service
Equipment
Norman and Teresa Elvin
Erskine Academy Students
Chuck and Maria Hays
J F Scott Construction Company
Mr. J. V. Kirschner
Mr. and Mrs. Stephan L. Kruse
Mr. Yale Marienhoff
Hon. Patrick O’Donnell
Augusta Country Club
Rally for the Cure
Sam’s Club
Mrs. Leslie Tainter
Whole Foods
President’s Club
($1,000.00 + )
Anonymous Donors (2)
Ms. Lana M. Ballard
Eric Barry, MD
Cynthia O. Bean
18 HealthMatters
Mr. and Mrs. Walter Belden
Mr. and Mrs. Frederick A. Best, Jr.
Mrs. Gloria B. Bilodeau
Mrs. Mary Duke Blouin
Katherine Boucher
Ms. Donna M. Boutin
Ms. Deborah E. Bowden
Rebecca Brackett, MD
Scott and Trish Bullock
Daniel and Elizabeth Burgess
John S. Carpenter, DMD
Rachael Carrier
Timothy Clifford, Jr., MD
and Nancy Clifford, DMD
Dr. Barbara Crowley
Mrs. Ericka Deering
Dr. and Mrs. Steve Diaz
Dr. and Mrs. Andrew J. Dionne
Ms. Dora Dostie
Mr. and Mrs. Mark Doty
Dr. and Mrs. Donald A. Dubois
Cynthia J. and Stephen H.
Eccher, MD
Ms. Alice E. Emery*
Mr. and Mrs. Mark A. Ford
Dr. and Mrs. David T. Frost
Paul and Alison Gagliardi*
Rev. David G. Gant
Mrs. Edith Gingras
The Golden Family
Mr. and Mrs. Lewis S. Graves
Mr. Seth Greene
Dr. and Mrs. Francis Griffin, Sr.
Jonathan and Wendy Hallenbeck
Dr. David W. and Nancy I. Hay
Bruce and Dorene Hebda
Mr. Stephen Helme
Buffy and Joe Higgins
Kristin Holm, MD and Gary Smith
Dag Holmsen, MD
Jeff and Marcia Hubert
Jerold Hurdle, D.O.
Mark and Judy Johnston
Mr. Joey Joseph and
Ms. Melissa Quigley
Jonathan Karnes, MD
Deborah and Joseph Karter
Dr. Lawrence and Janice Kassman
Robert M. Ladd
James M. LaLiberty and
Julie B. Schoenthaler
David E. Landry, MD
Brian and Gale LaPlante
Raina Lourens, MD
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Lumbert, Jr.
Ms. Wendy J. Manter
Tony and Marianne Marple
Barbara Mayer and Charles Acker
Dr. James and Helen McKendry
Nicole McSweeney
Mary and Dana Melville
Roy and Lisa Miller
Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan James
Mr. Vishnu Nancoo
Michael and Beth Nowak
Dick and Joanne O’Connor
Rita Oellers
Ms. Joy Osterhout
Ms. Priscilla Payne
Bill and Kitty Perry
Ms. Hope H. Potts
Mr. and Mrs. William Purington
Allen and Dianne Ryan
Tobi L. Schneider, Esq.
The Shuman Family
Joel D. Smith, D.O.
Bill and Lesley Sprague
Mark N. and Theressa M. St. John
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Stein
Mrs. Marie Stone
John T. and Catherine Sutton
Carol J. Swenson, MD
Laura Tracy
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas A. Trafton
Emilie van Eeghen and
Richard Tory
Dr. Lara M. Walsh
Dr. and Mrs. Forrest West
Dr. and Mrs. Steve R. Witkin
Jason Wyse, MD
Delta Ambulance Service
E.S. Boulos Company
Everett J. Prescott, Inc.
G & E Roofing Co., Inc.
Gagne & Son
GHM Insurance Agency
International Roll-Call Corporation
J.S. McCarthy Company, Inc.
James D. Julia Inc.
James F. Mitchell Co. LLC
Kennebec Valley Coaching
Kozak & Gayer, P.A.
Lincoln Financial Group
Maine Drilling & Blasting, Inc.
Maine Hospice Council, Inc.
Mercer
Moose River Lumber Co., Inc.
Motor Supply Company
Employees
Mosquito LLC - Hardscrabble
MS Cure Fund Inc.
O’Connor Auto Park
Pathology Associates, P.A.
Performance Foodservice - NorthCenter
Pine State Trading Company
Plum Creek Foundation
Radiology Alliance of Maine, LLC
Siemens Building Technologies
Sprague and Curtis Real Estate
The Thomas Agency, Inc.
Town of Chelsea
Town of Farmingdale
Town of Jefferson
Town of Wayne
Town of West Gardiner
University of Maine at Augusta
Students and Staff
Corporate Partners
($1,000.00 + )
Baker, Newman & Noyes
Bangor Savings Bank
Blessed Hope Church
C & S Market
C.O. Beck & Sons, Inc.
Capital Area Federal Credit Union
Capitol Insights
CARFAX
Central Maine Motors Auto Group
Charlie’s Motor Mall, Inc.
Colby College Football Team
Dave’s Appliance
Patron
($750.00 + )
Marty and Linda Allen
Anonymous Donors (2)
Bank of Maine
Ms. Linda M. Gagne
Zak and Kim Nashed
Advocate
($500.00 + )
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Albert
American Society of Legislative Clerks and Secretaries
Anonymous Donors (3)
Mr. Paul R. Arsenault
John and Sonja Babb
Dr. Michael Klein and
Dr. Louisa Barnhart
Mr. and Mrs. Gary O. Barrett
Ellen J. Beals
Mr. Thomas E. Beard
Jane M. Belanye
Mr. and Mrs. Norman Borntrager
Don and Lindsey Boucher
Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Bourne
Mrs. Annette Bowman
Mr. and Mrs. Douglas M. Boyd
Mr. and Mrs. John C. Bridge
Broz Drywall
BSM Consulting
Mr. Scott Bundy
Michael J. Bushey, MD
Judith M. Clukey
Rebecca Colwell
Barbara Covey, MD and
Mr. Mark D. Jose
Mrs. Priscilla A. Doel
Mr. and Mrs. Terence M. Doyle
Sidney Farr
Mr. and Mrs. David W. Findlay
Mr. and Mrs. Dallas N. Folk
Ms. Patricia D. Gathman, PA-C
Drs. Michael and Margaret Griffin
Mr. Larry N. Hambrick
Mrs. Carolyn Harrington
Mr. and Mrs. Ruel P. Holden
Tom and Laura Hudson
Dr. and Mrs. Douglas J. Jorgensen
Senator and Mrs.
Roger J. Katz, Esq.
Leslie A. Keith
Ms. Pierrette Kelly
Kennebec Anesthesia Associates
Karen and Kevin Lane
Mr. and Mrs. Albert J. Languet, III
MainePERS
Bill and Joann Matuzas
Dervilla McCann, MD and Stephen Meister, MD
Ms. Sally A. Melcher-McKeagney
John and Tina Milbrand
Mr. and Mrs. H. Todd Mosher
Jan and Jim Murton
Mr. and Mrs. Mark Nale
Mrs. Madeline T. Patenaude
Gordon and Pat Pow
Sarah E. Prescott, D.O. and Andrew H. Beauregard
David and Janet Preston
Mr. and Mrs. Ted Purington, Sr.
Ms. Barbara L. Quinby
Mr. Ralph S. Record
Jennifer Riggs
Edward and Eileen Ringel
Mrs. Bari Roden
Mark C. Rolfe, MD
Lisa Sauer, MD and
William J. Kragness, MD
Ms. Alice M. Savage
Mr. and Mrs. Chris Sementelli
Lisa Stein-Pierce
Mr. Thomas Sturtevant and Mrs. Joyce Galea-Sturtevant
Town of Madison
Town of Whitefield
Town of Windsor
Ms. Elizabeth M. Towner
Mrs. Ella Mae Van Husen
Foundations
Center for Disease Control
Elmina Sewall Foundation
Helen and George Ladd
Charitable Corporation
Maine Health Access Foundation
Maine Oral Health
March of Dimes
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
State of Maine SIM
*These donors are members of the Kennebec Circle, which
recognizes the loyal and committed benefactors, friends, retirees
and associates of MaineGeneral who have made an important
commitment to its future through gift planning, in the form of a
bequest, trust, annuity or estate plan.
The Will Atkins Trust
The George & Frances Averill
PFDN
The Barker Memorial Fund
The Josephine Bell Trask Trust
The Marjorie & Rufus Bond Benevolent Fund
Ernest Bracy Memorial Trust Fund
The Laura E. Carelton Trust
Henry Clearwater Trust
Dr. and Mrs. Robert Day
The Gordon and Florence Drew Trust
Stanley Field Marr CRT
Warren and Donna Kessler
The Nettie F. Haskell Trust
The Cora M. Harris Trust
The Edward K. Leighton Trust
The Percy Marston CRT
Fred L. & Leona Murray Trust
Estate of John M. Obrin
J. Miles Owens & E. Owens Trust Fund
The Johnson W. Parks Family Trust
Estate of Ruth Steen
Herbert & Geneva Twombly CFND
Elsie & William Viles Foundation
Madge H. Walker Trust
Estate of Carol A. Washburn
Capital Campaign Donors
List recognizes capital gifts made between
September 3, 2014 and August 24, 2015
MaineGeneral is grateful for the outpouring of generosity
and community spirit from the many donors who have
invested in the future of health care in the Kennebec Valley
by making a capital gift in support of the Thayer and Alfond
Centers for Health. If you’d like to make a contribution
and put your name or that of a loved one at the heart of
community caring, please call (207) 626-1809 or visit
give.mainegeneral.org/recognition.
$1,000,000 and more
Harold Alfond Foundation
$500,000 to $999,999
Mr. and Mrs. Robert G. Fuller, Jr.
$10,000 to $499,999
Carol and Samuel Shapiro
$500 to $9,999
Ms. Ashley Audet
Mr. and Mrs. Karl Dornish, Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. Sidney H. Geller
GMK Construction & Property Management
Mr. and Mrs. Rodney P. Hatch
Barb and Jerry Haynes
Mr. and Mrs. Conrad Hichborn
Janice Kassman
Dirk Kershner
Ms. Amy Kirk
Lisa Lapointe
Mr. Herbert S. Normandeau
PRO Moving Service
Troy, Carol, Dylan and Noah Roy
Kathy Sheive
Ms. Elizabeth C. Simmons
Lisa Stein-Pierce
Ms. Sarah Toner
Ms. Kellie Ward
Barbara Wiggin
Jason Wyse, M.D.
HealthMatters 19
Nonprofit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
MaineGeneral Health
35 Medical Center Parkway, Augusta, ME 04330
Did you know
l
One in eight women will
develop breast cancer in her
lifetime.
l
Breast cancer is the most
common non-skin cancer and
the second-leading cause of
cancer death in women.
l
If detected early, breast cancer
is 90 percent curable.
Mammography is the best
tool for early detection.
l
In 2014, MaineGeneral
Medical Center performed
17,319 mammograms.
l
MGMC’s screening-todiagnosis wait time is
less than 12 days —
the national average is
more than three weeks.
MaineGeneral Health
12th Annual
Walk for Hope
Saturday, Oct. 17, 9 a.m.
5K Walk begins at Sam’s Club,
Marketplace at Augusta
Rain or Shine
Join us to raise funds for
MaineGeneral’s Breast Care
Program — what’s raised here
stays here! ($10 registration fee
waived for survivors.)
Sign up online and create your
own fund raising page at
www.give.mainegeneral.org/HOPE
To register
l
l
call (207) 626-1809
go to
www.give.mainegeneral.org/HOPE
Main sponsor: