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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.”

Bridgton Hospital Golf Tournament a Success!

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On Wednesday, August 31, 2022, Bridgton Hospital hosted its 30th Annual Golf Tournament at Bridgton Highlands Country Club.

Tournament proceeds enable the hospital to purchase critical trauma equipment for the Emergency Department including a big wheel stretcher for LifeFlight patients and a LUCAS (hands-free) chest compression system.

Thank you to the 108 players who made the day a success. And, a big thank you to our sponsors:

Bridgton Hospital Golf Tournament Sponsors

The New Cancer Care Center at Central Maine Medical Center is Now Treating Patients

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Central Maine Medical Center’s new, state-of-the-art, comprehensive cancer treatment center is now open, promising to improve both the hospital’s capacity and quality of care. The Cancer Care Center brings CMMC’s surgical oncology, radiation oncology and chemotherapy units together under one roof, an improvement for patients who walk across campus to access cancer services on opposite ends. The need for two new linear accelerators — machines used to target radiation at tumors with pinpoint accuracy — was partly responsible for the construction of the cancer center. CMMC’s current linear accelerators have become outdated, and new models are too large to fit in the same space.

Totaling $4.2 million, the two new linear accelerators are the most striking examples of the center’s cutting-edge treatment technology. Both are estimated to last just 10 years before replacements are necessary, according to John Hamilton, vice president for oncology and surgical services at Central Maine Healthcare, CMMC’s parent company.

“We have a lot of capabilities with these new machines to expand our capabilities and delivering new or higher-end treatments as those come online,” he said. “This is a long-term investment, and we’re very, very excited about it.

The center also boasts 24 suites for chemotherapy infusions, five more than the hospital currently has. They are in an aesthetically appealing, naturally lit space. While receiving treatment, patients will have access to TV, Wi-Fi and radio to help pass the time. The space is slightly curved, mirroring the double helix shape of DNA. “Helix represents not only science, but life and hope,” said Hector Tarraza, chief oncology institute physician.

The design and functionality of the infusion area was especially important when creating the center’s designs. “Our staff bonds to these patients tremendously,” Hamilton said. “You can imagine seeing somebody on a daily basis or weekly basis or monthly basis for years on end, they really become a part of their families. In and of itself, we wanted to provide a space that is the best place away from home.” CMMC sees over 100 patients each day for cancer care, according to Hamilton, with about 8,000 radiation treatments performed every year.

The Dempsey Center, a Lewiston-based nonprofit organization that provides free support services for people with cancer and their families, will also have a resource center on the first floor of the building. “You won’t go anywhere else in New England and find a nicer cancer care center. We went and traveled to a lot of them to look and see what we wanted to do. You will not find a better place.”

The new cancer center will additionally benefit Central Maine Healthcare’s regional cancer treatment facilities in Bridgton and Rumford by bringing more specialized staff into the hospital system, said Peter Wright, vice president of operations for CMMC and president of Bridgton and Rumford hospitals. Specialists hired at the new cancer center will also work in the regional hospitals.

“With the program that we have, we’re able to rotate super specialists … out into all of our markets, so we can bring that level of subspecialty,” he said. “Pretty much everything that’s done here (in Lewiston), with the exception of the radiation oncology, can be done in Bridgton and Rumford.”
“That’s even more important because … from Bridgton and Rumford, it’s an hour’s drive,” he said. “We don’t want patients being treated for cancer to have to drive an hour two, three times a week. So those satellite outposts that we have at each of the regional hospitals is tremendously important to bring the care locally and bring that level of expertise locally.”

The $37 million center was built by Bateman Partners, a commercial real estate developer based in Portland. The hospital will lease the center over the next 20 years. Originally proposed in 2019, the state approved CMMC’s proposal in 2020, with construction beginning later that year. The cancer center opened for patient care June 6.

Learn more about our Cancer Care Center and providers. 

Excerpt from ‘New CMMC cancer center”; www.sunjournal.com/2022/05/12/you-will-not-find-a-better-place-new-cmmc-cancer-center-to-open-in-june/

CMMC is a Mothers’ Milk Bank Donor Site

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Donate your breast milk and “Share the Health” with other babies in the northeast.

Currently, there is an infant formula shortage in the US and donating breast milk is a much-needed resource. Central Maine Medical Center is Pleased to be a Mothers’ Milk Bank Northeast’s Donor Milk Depot.

A Donor Milk Depot, or milk bank, collects breast milk from mothers who have more than their babies need, then screens, pasteurizes, and tests the milk, after which it is dispensed primarily to premature and sick babies whose mothers do not have enough milk for them.

The team at Central Maine Medical Center makes it convenient and easy for screened moms to donate.  Simply schedule a drop-off by calling the Lactation Office at 207-795-2528.  A CMMC team member will meet you car side for your drop-off appointment.  There is no need to get out of the car to donate and appointments take less than five minutes.

Getting started with donating milk is an easy four-step process. Check out the basic guidelines here:  Donate Breast Milk • Mothers’ Milk Bank Northeast

The Milk Donation Depot is located in the Special Delivery Family Birthing Center at Central Maine Medical Center, 60 High Street, Lewiston.

Appointments are available on Tuesday and Thursday. Screened donors can schedule a drop-off by calling the Lactation Office at 207-795-2528.