CMH News
Central Maine Healthcare expands services in Augusta area
Central Maine Healthcare is increasing services for patients in the Augusta area. Manchester Specialty Services has opened its doors and is offering physical therapy and will soon be adding lab services.
The new practice has opened next door to Manchester Care Center at 25 Bowdoin Street in Manchester.
“We’re so glad to be able to expand our offering to this community,” said Hillary Littlefield, system director of Therapy Services at Central Maine Healthcare. “We are committed to meeting our patients where they live, providing the high-quality care they need without having to travel far from home.”
The primary physical therapy provider is Kate Pouder, DPT. Kate and her colleagues will be onsite for patients on Tuesdays and Fridays from 7:30 a.m.– 5:00 p.m.
“I’m very pleased to be sharing the news of the new specialty services with my patients,” said Ramon Cheleuitte, MD, Kate’s new neighbor and lead provider at Manchester Care Center. “Being able to refer them next door for physical therapy, and soon for lab work, makes accessing care much easier for them. It’s the kind of continuum of care CMH is committed to providing.”
Lab services at Manchester Specialty Services will begin in mid-March. Hours will be Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and Fridays, 7:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. The lab will also be available for appointments and walk-ins.
Manchester Specialty Services is expected to announce additional services in the future.
Pictured: Kate Pouder, DPT, works with a patient at Manchester Specialty Services; Ramon Cheleuitte, MD, and Kate Pouder
Swift River Family Medicine welcomes new internal medicine provider
Central Maine Healthcare is pleased to welcome Manuel Sanchez, MD, to the River Valley Community.
Dr. Sanchez is an internal medicine provider who will be practicing at Swift River Family Medicine in Rumford.
Swift River Family Medicine, which is located on the Rumford Hospital campus, provides care to individuals of all ages in a family-oriented setting. The practice treats all types of chronic disease and acute health issues.
Dr. Sanchez is especially interested in the prevention of hypertension and diabetes and is looking forward to practicing rural medicine.
Dr. Sanchez grew up in the country of Peru and says having a grandfather who was also a physician played a key role in his deciding to go to medical school.
“Seeing that my grandfather could manage the whole spectrum of diseases, that’s what inspired me to go into internal medicine.”
Dr. Sanchez went to medical school at Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia and completed his internal medicine residency at St. Luke’s Hospital in Missouri.
Being fairly new to our climate, Dr. Sanchez is looking forward to learning how to ski and snowboard.
Rumford Hospital names new vice president of nursing and patient services
Central Maine Healthcare has announced Jenifer Madore, NP, has been named vice president of nursing and patient services for Rumford Hospital. She had been serving in the role as the interim vice president since last summer.
Prior to taking on this role, Madore served in education and nursing capacities at both Bridgton Hospital and Rumford Hospital, which are part of the Central Maine Healthcare system.
Before that, she worked for St. Mary’s Health System in Lewiston for 25 years in a number of roles, including director of Inpatient Services. She also served in roles as a family nurse practitioner and registered nurse, working in internal medicine and geriatrics.
Madore grew up in Lincoln, Maine and attended the Eastern Maine Medical Registered Nurse (RN) program where she realized she wanted to become a nurse practitioner. She went on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree and then a master’s degree at the University of Southern Maine.
She says she feels right at home in Rumford, because it is a closely-knit mill community similar to her hometown.
“Rumford Hospital is critical to the health of people in the community, and I want to make sure it’s the best it can be,” Madore said.
“Jenifer has already established herself as an enormous asset to the River Valley community,” said Stephany Jacques, RN, president of Rumford Hospital. “The experience she brings to this community as both a nurse practitioner and an educator is invaluable, and I cannot think of a better person to fill this role.”
Central Maine Healthcare team members go red for American Heart Month
Central Maine Healthcare (CMH), which includes Central Maine Medical Center (CMMC), Rumford Hospital and Bridgton Hospital, is seeing red this month.
The team at the Central Maine Heart and Vascular Institute (CMHVI) asked CMH team members to wear red on Feb. 2, National Wear Red Day, to raise awareness and help eradicate heart disease among women. They will continue to wear red on every Friday in February, which is American Heart Month.
CMHVI is comprised of vascular surgeons, cardiothoracic surgeons and cardiologists who perform cutting-edge procedures and lead their Maine community in the prevention of heart and vascular disease.
“Wearing red is one of many great ways to bring attention to cardiovascular health,” said Michael Berlowitz, MD, chief of CMHVI. “Heart disease is the second leading cause of death in Maine, yet it is so often preventable with the life choices we can all make. American Heart Month is a great time to bring attention to cardiovascular health.”
The public is invited to stop by the heart booth across from the Central Maine Medical Center coffee shop this month to learn about different heart health topics, including:
- CPR
- Nutrition
- Blood pressure checks
- Exercise and mental health
Central Maine Healthcare welcomes two new cardiologists to Heart and Vascular Institute
The Central Maine Heart & Vascular Institute (CMHVI), which is part of Central Maine Healthcare, recently added two new cardiac electrophysiologists to its team.
Cardiac electrophysiology is a subspecialty of cardiology that focuses on the heart’s electrical system and on diagnosing, treating and managing arrhythmias.
Parts of rural Maine have among the highest rates of atrial fibrillation (AFib) in the U.S. CMHVI’s electrophysiology program offers the people of central Maine expert and comprehensive care to treat this conditon.
Dionyssios Robotis, MD, has 25 years of experience as a clinical cardiac electrophysiologist, which includes positions at UMass Memorial Medical Center and the Brooklyn VA Medical Center in New York.
Dr. Robotis earned his medical degree at Medical School of the University of Athens, Greece. He completed his Internal Medicine and Chief Medical residency at New York Hospital Medical Center of Queens, New York. His cardiovascular fellowship training was done at the University of Nebraska in Omaha, and he completed his cardiac electrophysiology fellowship training at the University of Rochester in New York.
He says the process of identifying the source of cardiovascular issues, in particular, is what interested him in electrophysiology. “I found it to be a very intellectually challenging part of cardiology-to not only diagnose different rhythm problems but to try to find the origin and then solve the problem,” Robotis said.
Joseph Dell’Orfano, MD, is also an electrophysiologist. He earned his medical degree and completed his residency at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. Dr. Dell’Orfano completed his electrophysiology training at the M.S. Hershey Medical Center at Penn State University. He practiced for 22 years at St. Francis Hospital in Hartford, Connecticut where he was the regional director of Electrophysiology. He built programs including atrial fibrillation ablation, ventricular tachycardia ablation and he started their Watchman Program to offer patients an alternative to anticoagulation for the prevention of stroke.
“There are two parts to an office visit,” Dr. Dell’Orfano said. “First, listening, so that I can understand the issue. Then, I spend time teaching the patient about their arrhythmia and treatment options in a way that makes sense and is understandable.”
“Both of these doctors bring a tremendous amount of experience and expertise in electrophysiology to the table, and this community is very fortunate to have them,” said Michael Berlowitz, MD, chief of CMHVI. “They are leaders in their field.”
Central Maine Healthcare this month is recognizing American Heart Month, a time to focus on heart disease which is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States.