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High-volume vaccination site to open in Androscoggin County on March 17

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Central Maine Healthcare, Auburn, Lewiston and State of Maine partner to open clinic at Auburn Mall

Central Maine Healthcare, the State of Maine, the City of Auburn and the City of Lewiston are launching a regional high-volume COVID-19 vaccination site at the Auburn Mall on March 17.

“We are thrilled that this critical resource will get more vaccine into the arms of Maine people quickly and efficiently,” said Jeffrey L. Brickman, FACHE, president and CEO of Central Maine Healthcare. “By working together with our partners, this high-volume vaccination site will have a powerful impact in the fight against the pandemic. It’s a wonderful example of the community coming together to protect the people we are privileged to serve.”

The high-volume vaccination site is the first to open in Androscoggin County. Vaccination will be available to Maine residents in accordance with the State of Maine’s age-based eligibility approach.

“The entire Auburn team stands ready to help protect our community in any way we can,” said Auburn Mayor Jason Levesque. “Androscoggin County’s vaccination rate is lagging behind the rest of the state, so we are extremely pleased to be working with these exceptional community partners to make this site a reality. Its central location will make it quick, simple and safe for our friends, neighbors and family members to protect themselves.”

After a ramp-up period, the site will have a goal of vaccinating 1,000 people a day and, if vaccine supplies are sufficient, operating three to five days a week for six months. During that timeframe, the site is expected to administer as many as 145,000 doses if vaccine availability allows.

“With the announcement of the opening of a high-volume vaccination site at the Auburn Mall, our community is one step closer to a return to normalcy,” said Lewiston Mayor Mark Cayer. “Local healthcare providers have planned and worked collaboratively to bring this to fruition; although work is ongoing to assure accessibility and equity for our community’s senior citizens and our underserved populations. I’m confident we will identify fair access to the vaccination for all residents of this region.”

Central Maine Healthcare’s vaccination clinics at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston, Bridgton Hospital and Rumford Hospital have prepared the health system well for the high-volume operation. The system, for example, administered a total of 1,269 does at Central Maine Medical Center and Bridgton Hospital on Feb. 27. In all, the system has administered nearly 16,000 doses to more than 10,000 people within the constraints of vaccine and resource availability.

In addition to operating the high-volume site at the Auburn Mall, community partners are coordinating to ensure that vaccination efforts reach all members of the community. Central Maine Healthcare, municipal and state leaders are working with Androscoggin County Emergency Management Agency, St. Mary’s Health System and Tri-County EMS.

Vaccination Appointments

Vaccination at the Central Maine Healthcare-run site at the Auburn Mall will be available by appointment only. To check availability, book an appointment or find out more about high-volume vaccination site, visit cmhc.org or telephone the Central Maine Healthcare COVID vaccine call center at 207-520-2917. Please direct all inquiries to this website and phone number, not to the mall or the cities.

Vaccinations will take place at the Center Court of the Auburn Mall. The entrance will be through the south entrance leading directly to Center Court.

With the opening of Auburn Mall site, Central Maine Healthcare will pivot resources from the clinics at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston to the high-volume site. Community vaccination clinics will continue at Bridgton Hospital and Rumford Hospital.

How to Help
Volunteers, both clinical and non-clinical, and donations, both financial and in-kind, can support COVID-19 efforts such as the high-throughput clinic. Please visit cmhc.org/how-to-help for more information.

Familiar faces offer exceptional orthopedic services under different name

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Central Maine Healthcare acquires Spectrum Orthopaedics-Auburn

You know their faces and you know about the great orthopedic care they provide. Now, they’ll be joining with the other trusted name for healthcare in Central and Western Maine: Central Maine Healthcare. The first-rate group of providers of Spectrum Orthopaedics-Auburn, formerly Central Maine Orthopaedics, is now part of the Central Maine Healthcare team and is adopting a new name: Central Maine Healthcare Orthopedics.

“We are thrilled to welcome these talented professionals to Central Maine Healthcare. Their addition to the team extends our ability to provide our patients with coordinated, high-quality orthopedic care close to home,” said Jeffrey L. Brickman, FACHE, president and CEO of Central Maine Healthcare. “It’s part of our vision of making exceptional, affordable and convenient care available to more Maine people.”

Joining the CMH team are eight orthopedic surgeons, four physician assistants and more than 80 experienced team members. The practice will continue to provide convenient, exceptional outpatient care at its current Minot Avenue and Rumford locations.

The addition of the practice, the largest orthopedic provider in Androscoggin County, significantly expands Central Maine Healthcare’s footprint of orthopedic services and its orthopedic staff. The system plans to build on this foundation to offer a full range of services to support the complex needs of patients with a wide variety of orthopedic, spine, pain management and physical therapy needs.

For more information or to make an appointment, please call 207-783-1328 or visit www.cmhc.org.

Central Maine Healthcare workers treated to lunch by Lee Auto Malls

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Team members working vaccination clinics recognized for work during pandemic

The work of Central Maine Healthcare team members who have been staffing COVID-19 vaccination clinics is being recognized with a generous gesture by Lee Auto Malls.

Team members at all three of the healthcare system’s hospitals – Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston, Bridgton Hospital and Rumford Hospital – were treated to lunch by Lee Auto Malls.

Chief Medical Officer John Alexander, MD, MHCM, FACEP, said hospital workers appreciate the recognition of their hard work.

“For the last 11 months of the pandemic, our healthcare workers have been coming in every day to work to help our communities and ensure people have the care they need,” Alexander said. “This show of support from Lee Auto Malls has really been special and we thank them for their kind generosity.”

Central Maine Healthcare team members from across the organization have leaned in to help at vaccination clinics. Alexander said after many long, difficult months, the vaccination work has been a source of hope in the pandemic for team members.
“Frontline hospital workers have been put under incredible stress by the pandemic,” said Lee Auto Malls Chairman Adam Lee. “We’re trying to let them know they haven’t been forgotten and how much their work is appreciated.”

Lee Auto Malls provided lunch for Central Maine Healthcare team members on two days this month. Bridgton Hospital team members had lunch from Beth’s Kitchen Café while Central Maine Medical Center and Rumford Hospital team members had lunch from Sam’s Italian Foods.

 

Leading plastic surgeon joins Central Maine Healthcare

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Therese K. White, MD, FACS, leads Oncology Institute’s Breast Center

Renowned plastic and reconstructive surgeon Therese K. White, MD, FACS, joins the Central Maine Healthcare Oncology Institute as the director of the Breast Care Center.

One of the leading breast reconstruction surgeons in Maine, White also specializes in hand surgery, skin cancer reconstruction and body contouring. She was most recently president of Plastic and Hand Surgical Associates in South Portland. She was also the division director of plastic surgery at Maine Medical Center and on the hospital’s Breast Leadership Council.

White takes on her new role as Central Maine Healthcare builds its new Cancer Care Center, which will be completed in February 2022.

“Dr. White brings to Central Maine Healthcare 25 years of experience in Maine providing the highest quality and most innovative care to her patients. Her reputation as a skilled surgeon and caring physician is unmatched, drawing patients from across the state and even the region,” said Jason Krupp, MD, FACP, president of Central Maine Medical Group. “Beyond that, Therese is a great clinical leader and a wonderful person. I am looking forward to growing the Breast Care Center program under her leadership.”

The ability to improve quality of life for patients through a wide range of procedures drew White to plastic surgery.

“Plastic surgery allows surgeons to have long relationships with patients,” she said. “The time I spend with patients is invaluable. Patient outcomes are better when they are involved in decision making. The time and effort spent getting to know and educate patients leads to better decision making and, ultimately, better outcomes.”

A graduate of Dartmouth College, White earned her medical degree from the University of Vermont College of Medicine and is board certified in plastic surgery. She held a fellowship at the Lahey Clinic Medical Center in Massachusetts and did her residency at Maine Medical Center. She has used her skills on a number of international medical mission trips.

Paintings of Maine Artist Displayed in WHA Art Gallery

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The Woman’s Hospital Association (WHA) Rotating Art Gallery at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston is proud to display the paintings of Maine artist Susan Fitz-Patrick for the month of February. The photographs of Lindsay White will continue to be on display for the month as well.

Fitz-Patrick is a Maine artist who enjoys recreating her love of the ocean in her paintings. She started her college career as an art major and has studied with several artists over the years to advance her skills in watercolor, pastel, acrylic and oil painting.

Traveling widely but always drawn to the ocean, her favorite places include the mid-coast area of Maine, the Cape Cod National Seashore as well as the Oregon coastline. The natural beauty of each is unique but the sounds and smells of the saltwater environment are similar. It is this feeling of being near the ocean, feeling the breeze and listening to the sounds of the surf and the gulls that she tries to convey in her paintings.

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.

Johnson joins Central Maine Healthcare as system director of philanthropy

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Kara Aleixo Johnson, JD, has joined Central Maine Healthcare as system director of philanthropy.Kara Johnson, JD

In this leadership role, Johnson is responsible for the planning and implementation of all fundraising efforts for Central Maine Healthcare, including a portfolio of major gift prospects and donors and building broad-based private support for annual giving, endowments and capital projects.

“We’re thrilled to have Kara on board at Central Maine Healthcare in this time of growth and as we are building our state-of-the-art Cancer Care Center. She’s had great success in leading fundraising efforts and brings deep experience in business development and strategic planning to the role,” said Jeffrey L. Brickman, FACHE, president and CEO of Central Maine Healthcare. “These are great assets as we continue to change the face of healthcare in Maine.”

Johnson was previously senior director of development at Mid-Coast Parkview Health in Brunswick, where she grew the development team and philanthropic support, managed a capital campaign, a major gifts program and developed new initiatives. She has also owned a business development consulting firm, held leadership roles in sales and practiced law in the areas of real estate and litigation.

“I’m looking forward to collaborating with my new colleagues across the organization and with the community at this exciting time,” Johnson said. “The work to bring high-quality, affordable and convenient care to more Maine people is truly inspiring.”

Johnson earned her bachelor’s degree in English literature and political science from Wheaton College in Norton, Mass., and her law degree from Suffolk University School of Law in Boston.

She has served on the boards of organizations including The Gathering Place and Embrace A Vet as chair of the Development Committee. She is a corporator of Mid Coast Hospital and has served on the board of Mid Coast-Parkview Health. Johnson is also a member of the Maine Women’s Giving Tree.

Johnson started her new role in early January.