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ELLSWORTH — Maine Coast Memorial Hospital
announced plans for a $10-million expansion
at the hospital’s annual meeting Tuesday.
“This has been a great year and a year to
savor,” said Doug Jones, president and chief
executive officer of Maine Coast Memorial
Hospital.
Alice Dow (standing) visits with
Maine Coast Memorial Hospital
President/CEO Doug Jones and his
wife, Carrie Jones, at Tuesday’s
annual dinner meeting. The
hospital announced a $10-million
expansion that will include a
new Emergency Department, among
other additions. |
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—STAFF PHOTO BY STEPHEN FAY |
Jones said MCMH
will break ground in July 2008 for the Fitz
Eugene Dixon Emergency Department. Dixon,
who had been a lifelong benefactor of the
hospital and a summer resident of Winter
Harbor, passed away last summer.
The hospital’s finances remain strong.
MCMH had a gain from operations totaling
$2,781,022, announced Bob Merrill, board
treasurer. In comparison, the hospital’s
gain this year is twice what it was last
fiscal year — $1,272,344.
Merrill said the gain was an achievement
considering the Medicare/Medicaid
reimbursement “debacle” and the fact that
the hospital wrote off $6 million in bad
debt and free care.
Karen Stanley is the hospital
board’s new chairman. |
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—STAFF PHOTO BY JENNIFER OSBORN |
Karen Stanley
is the new chairman of the board of
trustees.
“It’s an exciting time for Maine Coast and
I’m proud to be a part of it,” Stanley said.
Stanley announced new board members, who
include Adin Tooker of Brooksville, Dr.
Robert Beekman, Wayne Wright, owner of
Coastline Homes, and CPA James Wadman.
Stanley said the hospital has obtained its
certificate of need from the state for the
emergency department expansion.
Ellen Belknap, president of SMRT, the
Portland architectural firm that has
designed the expansion, spoke about the
project and the hospital’s priorities.
“Our work is under way and has a very clear
direction,” Belknap said. A construction
manager will be selected shortly.
The first phase of the project includes an
expansion and relocation of the emergency
department, which will be located near the
imaging department.
The second phase entails moving the
maternity ward to the same floor as the
operating room.
Right now, the maternity ward is one floor
above the operating room, which can lead to
a “frantic” situation when an emergency
cesarean needs to be performed, Belknap
said.
The ER and imaging services, which performs
X-rays, have a close relationship and it’s
important to keep the departments as close
as possible, Belknap said.
A third phase includes a modest expansion of
the laboratory and consolidating
administrative offices.
The hospital will move the registration and
lobby area to reduce confusion for visitors
and patients.
Belknap spoke briefly about why hospitals
are always under construction, citing
constantly changing technology, competition
for market share and a trend toward private
rooms.
Hospitals, such as MCMH, do facility
planning, which allows them to avoid “the
band-aid approach” and to match the
project’s scope to available capital, she
said.
Jones announced that on Wednesday the
hospital would to honor Doris Bunker, his
administrative assistant, who is marking 50
years with the hospital.
“She’s picked virtually every CEO who’s
worked here,” Jones said.
Dr. Britain Nicholson, senior vice president
and chief medical officer of Massachusetts
General Hospital spoke after Belknap.
Roughly 375 Hancock County residents,
hospital employees and board of trustee
members attended the meeting.
The hospital employs 711 people. |
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