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Central Maine Healthcare offers vaccination to 12-15 year olds

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Option available by appointment only at the Auburn Mall starting Wednesday

Youths 12 to 15 years old will be able to receive vaccine by appointment only at Central Maine Healthcare’s high-volume vaccination site at the Auburn Mall starting Wednesday, May 12.

“The authorization of the Pfizer vaccine for ages 12 and older is exciting news. We’re delighted to be rolling out this option,” said Amy Lee, MBA, MBHA, MJ, FACMPE, vice president and chief operating officer of the Central Maine Medical Group. “It’s an important step toward defeating the virus and helping families return to the things they love, like getting together with loved ones. Kids could be fully protected for the summer activities that make it so fun to be this age.”

Vaccination is available to Maine residents and non-residents alike. Individuals should bring their identification and their insurance card, if they have one. Minors must have parental consent and be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.

To make an appointment or for more information about Central Maine Healthcare vaccination sites, visit cmhc.org or call Central Maine Healthcare’s COVID vaccine call center at 207-520-2917. Please note that for children who are 12 years old, a parent/legal guardian must contact the call center to make an appointment.

Walk-in vaccination begins at Central Maine Healthcare high-volume site

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New option increases convenience, begins Friday

Central Maine Healthcare’s high-volume vaccination site at the Auburn Mall will begin taking walk ins this Friday, May 7.

“This week, our site reached a milestone as we administered the 25,000th dose of vaccine. And another milestone is right around the corner: We are opening up to walk ins beginning Friday to get vaccine into the arms of more people,” said Amy Lee, MBA, MBHA, MJ, FACMPE, vice president and chief operating officer of the Central Maine Medical Group. “We are delighted to offer this additional convenience to individuals 16 and older and to Maine residents and non-residents alike.”

Walk-in vaccination will be available from 9 a.m.- 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

Vaccination is available to individuals 16 and older. Individuals should bring their identification and their insurance card, if they have one. Minors must have parental consent and be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.

Vaccination by appointment remains available.

To make an appointment or for more information about Central Maine Healthcare vaccination sites, visit cmhc.org or call Central Maine Healthcare’s COVID vaccine call center at 207-520-2917.

Straight “A’s” for hospital safety for Central Maine Medical Center

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Hospital earns elite national designation six times in a row

– For the sixth time in a row, Central Maine Medical Center earned an “A” – the highest grade possible – for hospital safety from The Leapfrog Group, a national advocate for hospital transparency.

This national distinction recognizes Central Maine Medical Center’s commitment to eliminating patient harm and its success in engaging team members at every level of the organization in this goal. The most recent “A”, awarded

Thursday, is for the Spring 2021 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade and honors the hospital’s achievements protecting patients from errors, injuries, accidents and infections.

“Remarkable results like these are only possible because our team members give it their all, every day,

for the patients who entrust us with their care,” said Steven G. Littleson, DBA, FACHE, the hospital’s president and Central Maine Healthcare’s senior vice president of operations. “Our team has truly

earned this recognition – six times in a row – through their commitment to outstanding, compassionate care.”

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade assigns an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D” or “F” grade to all general hospitals across the country and updates them every six months. It is the only hospital ratings program based exclusively on hospitals’ prevention of medical errors and other harms to patients in their care.

“We hold ourselves to the highest standards to ensure we deliver exceptional, reliable and safe healthcare services to each and every one of our patients,” said CMH Chief Medical Officer John Alexander, MD, MHCM, FACEP. “We’re honored that our work at Central Maine Medical Center continues to be recognized by The Leapfrog Group.”

Developed under the guidance of a national expert panel, the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade uses up to 27 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to assign grades to more than 2,700 U.S. acute- care hospitals twice a year. The Hospital Safety Grade’s methodology is peer-reviewed and fully transparent. The results are free to the public.

Central Maine Healthcare CEO Jeffrey L. Brickman to retire after leading successful changes at health system

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Jeffrey L. Brickman, FACHE, President and CEO of Central Maine Healthcare (CMH), has informed the CMH Board of his desire to retire from full-time health system leadership in September 2021. Mr. Brickman has had a successful 41-year career defined by leading successful change efforts in multiple markets, including the last 5 years with CMH.

“The Board deeply appreciates Jeff’s service to CMH and celebrates this decision with him,” said Dev Culver, Chair of the CMH Board of Directors.

As part of a best-practice, disciplined succession planning process, the Board announced that on July 19, Steven G. Littleson, DBA, FACHE, current CMH Senior Vice President of Operations and President of Central Maine Medical Center, will be named CMH interim President and CEO. Mr. Littleson will serve as interim President and CEO until the Board announces permanent leadership for the system.

“Jeff has built a strong team of leaders during his tenure at CMH. The Board has confidence in Steve and the leadership team’s ability to guide CMH through this period of change and to ensure the sustainability of CMH’s mission to our community,” Culver said.

Between now and July 19, under Mr. Brickman’s continuing leadership, CMH will focus on closing out many of the unprecedented challenges of the global pandemic and finalizing strategic plans that provide both short- and long-term direction and continuity for the future. Mr. Brickman will also serve as an ongoing advisor to Board leadership and Mr. Littleson.

“Jeff has positioned the CMH organization well for the future and has guided us through some extraordinary times. He leaves a foundation of excellence that will pay dividends for years to come,” said Deborah Dunlap Avasthi, the immediate past Board Chair who served nearly 20 years in governance roles with Central Maine Healthcare.

JEFFREY L. BRICKMAN, FACHE

Position: President and CEO, Central Maine Healthcare since September 2016

Age: 65

Hometown: Malden, Mass.

Early experience in his field: Accompanying his grandfather, a doctor, on house calls

Fun Family Fact: For at least 100 years, only boys were born into the Brickman family. That ended four years ago with his granddaughter’s birth.

Highlights from tenure at Central Maine Healthcare:

  • Opening Maine Urgent Care in Lewiston and Topsham
  • Opening the Topsham Care Center
  • Launching construction of the $32 million state-of-the art Cancer Care Center (opening in 2022)
  • Expanding the footprint of orthopedic services through the acquisition of Spectrum Orthopaedics-Auburn, formerly Central Maine Orthopaedics, the largest practice acquisition in the system’s history
  • Successfully recruiting nurses and providers, including leading surgeons in their fields
  • Building partnerships, including with Massachusetts General Hospital, Spectrum Healthcare, New England Cancer Specialists, Quest Diagnostics, Shields Healthcare, and Sodexo
  • Receiving national safety and quality accreditations in orthopaedics, advanced primary stroke, rehabilitation medicine and bariatric surgery
  • Earning five “A” grades in a row for safety at Central Maine Medical Center from The Leapfrog Group
  • Gaining recognition of Bridgton and Rumford Hospitals for performance in outcomes and patient perspective from The Chartis Center for Rural Health/iVantage Health Analytics and the National Organization of State Office of Rural Health
  • Achieving a ranking for Bridgton Hospital as one of the nation’s top rural hospitals from The Leapfrog Group
  • Attaining recognition for the Central Maine Heart and Vascular Institute, which IBM/Watson named one of the nation’s 50 top heart hospitals

WHA Rotating Art Gallery Presents April Artists

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The Woman’s Hospital Association (WHA) Rotating Art Gallery at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston is now displaying the art of Kenneth Harvey and Kate Cargile.

Harvey is a watercolor artist who has been exploring this medium for over thirty years. After working for a major corporation for 32 years he took the opportunity to retire and follow his life-long dream of becoming a full-time artist. He is presently engaged in plein air painting, is one of a number of artists who participates each year in the Great Paint Out in Boothbay. The event two years ago occurred on September 9th and involved 26 artists. His work has been shown at several L/A Art Walks. “My one great hope is that my excitement and enjoyment in producing these images comes through in my work”. Cargile is a middle school art teacher who is highly interested in literature, history and visual culture studies. These aspects of her life shape and inspire her artwork. She works in a variety of media, including painting, drawing, printmaking, appliqué quilting, and paper-mache sculpture. Her subject matter ranges from the beauty of the people, objects and places that make up my everyday life to fanciful ideas from myths, legends, tales and my own wild imagination.

Over summer vacations she enjoys plein-air painting in the Lewiston-Auburn area, stating that there is a lot of beauty to be found right here in our community. She particularly enjoys painting the interaction between landscape and the older, local architecture. “The artistic process is like trying to tune an old radio. There are many different stations and frequent static. When you get a clear station it’s always best to listen intently to what is playing” The works on display may be purchased through the WHA Gift Shop located adjacent to the main lobby at Central Maine Medical Center. As a result of the hospital safety precautions due to the pandemic, the art gallery is only available for viewing for staff, patients, and their designated visitors at this time. A percentage of sale proceeds benefits patients of CMMC.

Tree Logic by Kate Cargile
Spring Shadows by Ken Harvey

 

Gratitude for our providers on National Doctors’ Day

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In 2021, National Doctors’ Day has more significance than ever.

“This year, I am so grateful to stand with the providers whose life’s work is caring for their patients and the communities they serve,” said Jason Krupp, MD FACP, president of Central Maine Medical Group. “This was an incredible year for our 330 physicians and associate professional staff at Central Maine Healthcare. When the pandemic struck, turning the world as we knew it upside-down, they heroically stepped into the line of fire, saying ‘This is what I was called to do.’”

Central Maine Healthcare providers rose to the challenge and met it head on. They have continued to do so ever since Maine’s first COVID-19 case showed up on Maine’s doorstep – in the Emergency Department of Central Maine Medical Center.

For 88 years, March 30 has been a day to honor the contributions of physicians. It has had a number of milestones: the first observance in Georgia in 1933 to commemorate the first administration of ether as a surgical anesthetic, a U.S. House resolution in 1958 and the first official national observance in 1991 after then-President George H.W. Bush signed legislation into law.

National Doctors’ Day 2021 is another one for the history books, Krupp said.

“Not one of our providers shied away from their duty in the coronavirus crisis. I’m proud of each and every one of them,” he said. “Please join me in thanking them on this National Doctors’ Day.”