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Team CMH Shows Up Strong for the 2022 Dempsey Challenge

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In their signature tie-dye shirts, Team CMH made a huge showing at the Dempsey Challenge over the weekend, running, walking and biking to help raise money for the Dempsey Center. For the second consecutive year, team members represented Central Maine Healthcare as a single, unified team. This year’s Team CMH roster was larger than last, with close to 200 members. Together, they met their goal, raising $60,000, also surpassing last year’s effort, for the Dempsey Center which provides services, free of charge, for people impacted by cancer. We’re proud to say Team CMH was the third highest fundraising team this year. The Dempsey Center, itself, raised more than $1.5 million. Team CMH had a presence at the challenge throughout the weekend that was anchored by the Central Maine Healthcare tent and mascot Dr. Eddy the Teddy.

Peter Wright, FACHE, senior vice president, Central Maine Healthcare, said, “What a tremendous effort by all members of Team CMH this year. I would like to thank the many team members who made this possible. I’m already looking forward to next year’s Dempsey Challenge!”

New chief of surgery joining Central Maine Healthcare

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Central Maine Healthcare is pleased to announce Tim Counihan, M.D., F.A.C.S., F.A.S.C.R.S. will be joining us as our new chief of surgery.

Most recently, Dr. Counihan was a clinical associate professor of surgery at Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, New Hampshire and a surgeon at the VA Medical Center, White River Junction, Vermont.

He is a retired colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve Medical Corp and made multiple deployments, including tours in Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq. Among other awards, he is the recipient of two Bronze Star Medals, a Combat Action Badge and a Combat Medical Badge.

A graduate of the University of Minnesota’s Colon and Rectal Surgery Fellowship, Dr. Counihan is an expert in colorectal cancer surgery and has lectured and published in a variety of topics in his field. A native of Massachusetts, he attended the University of Massachusetts, Boston, as an undergraduate. He spent a total of 20 years in Worcester, where he attended medical school, completed a general surgery residency program and was a staff surgeon at UMass Memorial Hospital and Saint Vincent

Hospital. Dr. Counihan was also the chair of surgery for seven years at Berkshire Medical Center.

“I am very excited to have Tim join the Central Maine Healthcare team,” said Jason Krupp, MD, FACP, president, Central Maine Medical Group. “Not only does our community gain an incredibly experienced and renowned surgeon, but our team gains an exceptional leader, as well.”

Dr. Counihan will begin his new role with Central Maine Healthcare in early August.

Congratulations to the CMMC 2022 Family Medicine Residency Graduates

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Central Maine Medical Center’s Family Medicine Residency recognized seven third-year family medicine residents at their recent graduation program.  Honored at the commencement exercises were family physicians: (Front Row:  Anthony Pastore DO, Dana Kennedy DO, Chief Resident, Cecilia Davies MD, Isabella Taylor DO, Chief Resident.  Back Row: Chris Caracciolo DO, Ian Corbett DO, Jeffrey Badillo MD, Chief Resident.

Bethany Picker, MD, Program Director, gave the welcome address. In attendance were Family Medicine Residency faculty, residents, residency staff, as well as graduating residents’ families and special invited guests.

John Alexander MD, Chief Medical Officer CMHC, was invited to speak on behalf of the CMHC Administration.

Dr. Picker presented the following:

  • Chief Resident Certificates – Jeffrey Badillo MD, Dana Kennedy MD, Isabella Taylor DO
  • Professionalism Award – Ian Corbett DO
  • Resident Research Award – Cecilia Davies MD
  • Resident Teacher of the Year – Anthony Pastore DO

Dr. Picker presented the graduates with their diplomas and gifts.

Central Maine Medical Center Family Medicine Residency (CMMC FMR) is a 7-7-7 ACGME certified program with an osteopathic recognition track and rural training. Founded in 1978, CMMC FMR has graduated over 160 family physicians. Our program prepares physicians to practice family medicine in communities with populations ranging from 500 to 500,000.

The residency is based at the Oscar Treat Turner Family Medicine Center, an outpatient health center on CMMC’s main campus in Lewiston, Maine.  We also have additional continuity clinics in Rumford at the Swift River Family Medicine office and provide first contact care to undergraduate students at Bates College in Lewiston.  We are the only residency in our sponsoring hospital, allowing our residents to easily gain experience in all aspects of inpatient and outpatient care. Our curriculum provides opportunities for further training in many areas of family medicine including integrative medicine, geriatrics, sports medicine, neuromusculoskeletal medicine, public health and others as directed by each resident’s specific learning goals. We expose residents to Lewiston and surrounding rural communities early in their training to inspire them for where their education can lead.  CMMC also offers a fellowship in hospital medicine and provides clinical and educational training opportunities to third and fourth-year medical students.

 

Over 40 years of excellence honored with award

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Barbara “Babs” Gately has had a remarkable career here at Bridgton Hospital. Today we are celebrating her official retirement after 44 years of dedicated service to this hospital, our patients and the community. Babs has always valued education: her own and teaching others. She has a Bachelor of Science in Zoology and is board certified as a medical technologist. In 1995, Babs studied for and passed a rigorous exam, earning the additional certification of Technologist in Blood Bank. Babs shared her comprehensive blood bank knowledge while conducting student lectures at Central Maine Community College for their Medical Laboratory Technician program. She also provided clinical training in the lab for some of these students. Babs wanted to ensure future laboratory professionals were well trained to produce quality results. Babs has been a valued blood bank resource for providers, nurses, and co-workers at the hospital over the years. She presented transfusion-related education to nursing personnel; ensuring patients safely receive blood products when necessary. Babs has trained many new lab employees and has always been available for her co-workers when they have a complicated blood bank situation, at times coming in to work in the middle of the night to assist. At the suggestion and involvement of Barbara’s family and with the support of the administration, Barbara was presented with the first annual Barbara Gately Mentorship Award. Thank you, Babs, for all you have given to Bridgton Hospital and its community over the past 44 years! Pictured: Peter Gatley, Barbara Gatley, Sandra Clark

A Permanent Homage to Pride, from our Lead Volunteer

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Sue Bartash, lead volunteer for Central Maine Healthcare, is  at it again. In the 14 years she has been volunteering here, Sue has managed to knit and crochet, literally, thousands of afghans. The majority of them, like the one she is working on now, are given to patients in the ICU to keep and take home. One of her creations, however, won’t be leaving the hospital. Sue said, “I saw the article about Pride Month in our newsletter with a picture of the Pride flag flying outside CMMC. And, I thought – I can do that.” So, Sue got to work and made a beautiful afghan with the colors symbolizing LGBTQ+ pride. The blanket has been framed and will be put on permanent display in the hospital. When asked why this particular blanket mattered to her, Sue said, “I had a cousin who was gay. He passed away almost 60 years ago. Things were different back then. There was no gay Pride flag or month. I spent an entire weekend crocheting that blanket, and the whole time I was making it, I was thinking about him.”