Chase Joseph Curtis is the 2014 New Year’s Baby. The Belfast family had been expecting Chase to be a Christmas Baby but instead he waited and came into the world at 6:32 p.m. on New Year’s Day at Waldo County General Hospital. The 5-pound 15-ounce Chase is shown here with his mother, Victoria Dufresne, father, Stephen Curtis, and big brother, Caleb, who is five years old. As the New Year’s Baby, Chase was presented with a basketful of gifts from the Hospital.
Shannon Robbins RN
Waldo County Healthcare is pleased to introduce Shannon Robbins RN as its new Community Health Manager. In that position she oversees Journey to Health, Let’s Go! Waldo 5-2-1-0, the Community Transformation Grant (Farms to Institutions), Healthy Waldo County, Coastal Medical (occupational health), Waldo County Dental Care, Public Health nursing, and the CarePartners program.
“It’s a unique position,” said Shannon. “In the current fiscal atmosphere, we need to do more with fewer resources and in this position I can tie things together. I love wearing different hats and I love challenges. I need to see where all the pieces of the puzzle fit.”
As the Belfast Public Health Nurse, Shannon was involved in the creation of Waldo County Dental Care and witnessed the direct connection between oral health and the overall health of individuals and the community. She also is eager to work with area businesses to improve the health and safety of their workforce.
“Good health doesn’t just happen to you, you have to seek it. I want to make that as easy as possible for people,” says Shannon. “My biggest challenge is going to be to figure out how to make the programs easy for the community to access. We offer many programs but we need to see where people are in their lives concerning their health and we need to meet them there.”
Before becoming the public health nurse, Shannon worked as a school nurse so she also has some insight into working with pre-teens and teens which is a new focus for community health. Obesity is a major health issue in Waldo County and one that needs to be addressed starting with the younger population.
“I think we need to work through their healthcare providers to make it easy for people to see the benefits to improving their health. Good health is the result of making one small change at a time,” she concludes.
Registered Dental Hygienist Michelle Gallant and Dental Assistant, Amanda Hood, from Waldo County Dental Care, recently visited some RSU 20 schools to talk about taking care of your teeth.
Do you have someone in your family who is prone to wander? The Belfast Police Dept. with help from several other agencies and Linda Lee, the mother of an autistic child, have created a client wandering database. The database will help get your loved one home if he or she is found wandering and can’t communicate. You can get a form online at:http://www.cityofbelfast.org/index.aspx?nid=177 or call Chief McFadden at 338-5255.
During the month of March, employees at Waldo County General Hospital collected 268 jars of peanut butter and jelly to help Bangor Savings Bank with its collection for local food cupboards and soup kitchens. On hand to receive the donations were, from left, Cathy Reynolds, VP Mid-Maine Senior Relationship Manager; Ann Hooper, manager of the imaging department at the hospital who co-facilitated the collection with Shannon Robbins, manager of the community health department (not present for the photo); Carrie Ward, teller; and Chris Lobley, AVP Belfast Branch Manager.
The third annual Cardiac Rehab 5K will be held Saturday, May 3, at 10 a.m. at the Belfast Area High School Track.
The walk is a wellness celebration for patients’ successes. There is no entry fee but donations will be accepted and t-shirts will be on sale for $5 each, free for current and former Cardiac Rehab participants.
Proceeds will be used to fund Phase III scholarships. To register, call 930-2545.
Spectrum Generations and Waldo County General Hospital are teaming up to offer “A Matter of Balance,” an award-winning program designed to manage falls and increase activity levels. It is an eight-session workshop held once a week for two hours.
The next workshop will be held Thursdays from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., beginning April 24. The sessions will be held in the Education Center at Waldo County General Hospital.
The program emphasizes practical strategies to manage falls, including making changes to reduce fall risks at home, exercises to increase strength and balance and setting goals to increase activity.
Past participants say the class taught them how to make their home safer and was “very supportive and helpful.”
There is a suggested donation of $10 for the eight classes, which covers the cost of the Matter of Balance manual each participant will receive, but no one will be turned away.
For more information or to register for the class, call Tina DeRaps at 620-1657 or email her at: tderaps@spectrumgenerations.org.
It’s frightening when a health professional diagnoses you with heart failure. For most people, the words “heart failure” bring on fears of an imminent death. But once you realize the diagnosis doesn’t mean your heart is going to stop beating immediately, you need to learn skills to better manage your condition and you may also want to connect with others who have the same problem.
If so, a series of five free classes known as “The Beat Goes On” will be offered by Waldo County General Hospital on Thursdays from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. beginning May 1. These classes will be held in the classroom (on the ground floor of the Hospital).
The five classes and the instructors are:
• Thursday, May 1: You can do this: Self-Management Skills for Living Well with Heart Failure by Deb Czuchra FNP;
• Thursday, May 8: Ahhh: Managing the Stress of Heart Failure by Joanna Whiting RN, the hospital’s case manager;
• Thursday, May 15: Pump it Up: Exercising with Heart Failure by Teri Mace, physical therapy aid;
• Thursday, May 22: Pills and Me: Understanding the World of Heart Failure by Nancy Nystrom PhD, RPh, a pharmacist at the hospital; and
• Thursday, May 29: Eating Well with Heart Failure: Get the Low Down on Salt by Brooke Reed, Registered Dietician.
While the course is free, space is limited so register early by calling Barbara Crowley at 930-2650 or emailing her at bcrowley@wcgh.org.
On March 2, 1992, Brandon Moody of Belfast was born at Waldo County General Hospital and he was thrilled when his first child, Aurora, was born on March 2, 2014, also at Waldo County General Hospital.
Heather Perol and Brandon Moody of Belfast with Aurora who was born on Brandon’s birthday and in the same hospital.
Heather Perol, Aurora’s mother, had a due date of March 7 so the couple had talked a few times about the possibility of the baby being born on Brandon’s birthday but the conversation always ended with “What are the odds?” Especially since this was Heather’s first pregnancy and first babies are often late.
But when Heather woke Brandon up around 3 a.m. on March 2 and said her water had broken, Brandon says, “I was so excited.”
And when Aurora was born at 12:31 p.m., he was ecstatic. “How can you top that for a birthday present? We’ll have two names on our birthday cake.”
Brandon’s mother was thrilled as she became a grandparent for the first time, even though Brandon is the youngest child in his family. The only problem: Brandon says his mother can’t figure out what to get him for a birthday present that can top his daughter arriving on his birthday.
Seamus Kiernan smiles to show the location where he has been getting the abscesses, which resulted in two trips to the emergency room and the use of a needle at home to drain it.
Seamus Kiernan is a prime example of why we created Waldo County Dental Care. Twice in the last two years, Kiernan, 34, of Belfast, has found himself in the emergency room at Waldo County General Hospital from the pain of an abscess in his gums. In one case, the infection had traveled up into his face and into his sinuses.
Each time, a sharp blade was “stabbed” up into his gums to lance the abscess, which brought almost instant relief except for the area where the knife went in, Kiernan says.
A few nights ago, the abscess swelled up again. Instead of going to the Hospital’s emergency room again, Kiernan sterilized the point of a needle and poked it into the abscess himself. It was not a pleasant experience.
Kiernan knew the trips to the Hospital and poking the needle into the abscess were short term solutions but he couldn’t afford a trip to a dentist. He’d had surgery for diverticulitis in August and January and wasn’t allowed to lift more than five pounds, which made it impossible for him to return to his prior job as a landscaper and builder of seawalls.
Through his recent time at the Hospital, he learned about Waldo County Dental Care and made an appointment to see Registered Hygienist Michelle Gallant. During that visit, the hygienist took the time to clean his teeth and gums and explain how serious it is to have an infection in his mouth.
Then she made a referral to a participating dentist for Kiernan to receive the additional care he needed a few days later
And Kiernan couldn’t be more pleased. “I’ve been dealing with bad teeth for years. I’m happy to be able to get checked out and it will be good to get some things taken care of for good instead of just getting a quick fix.”
Waldo County Dental Care has received a grant for $35,000 from a Maine-based foundation to purchase dental equipment. The funds will be used to cover the one-time cost of small equipment and routine start-up supplies so the clinic can hire a part-time dentist.
In June of 2013, Waldo County General Hospital launched Waldo County Dental Care, Maine’s first hospital-owned dental “safety net” clinic. The purpose of the clinic is to provide low-income, uninsured adults with access to affordable oral hygiene and dental services.
Before that, many uninsured adults in the community were unable to access critically needed preventative care and treatment. Yet oral health plays an important role in overall health and the chronic pain and disfigurement of oral disease can be a barrier to obtaining and maintaining employment. The clinic thus holds the promise of helping low-income adults achieve both increased wellness and self-sufficiency, according to the grant application.
The development of Waldo County Dental Care was prompted by the following data. According to the grant application, over the past three years, the top reason for visits to the hospital’s Emergency Department among 18 to 49 year olds has been dental pain and infection. Since 2010, 19 percent of all emergency patients in this age range—that’s nearly one in every five—came to the hospital seeking relief from acute dental pain. From Jan. 1, 2013 to Nov. 20, 2013, a total of 439 people visited the Emergency Department for that purpose. The Emergency Department providers can assist with short-term pain relief and infection control, but the infection simply returns in time and the cycle continues until the teeth and gums become so badly eroded that the tooth has to be extracted.
Waldo County Dental Care currently has a part-time dental assistant, a part-time hygienist and a voluntary network of five local dentists. Dentists receive a discounted fee when they serve clinic patients and are paid by Waldo County Healthcare. With their generous support, we have begun to address the oral health crisis in our community.
However, it is clear that Waldo County Dental Care needs to dramatically increase access to restorative care. Thus, in June 2014 the clinic is looking to hire a part-time dentist. A portion of that cost will be paid by the low-income patients covered for some types of dental treatment under Medicaid and subsidized by the hospital, which should experience a decreased use of the Emergency Department for dental issues.
Thus, the grant application stated, the primary barrier to employing the part-time dentist is the one-time cost of small equipment and routine start-up supplies, estimated at nearly $35,000.
In addition to this latest grant, Waldo County Dental Care has received $50,000 from the Doree Taylor Foundation, $10,000 from athenahealth and $7,500 from Bank of America. Waldo County Healthcare Inc. Board of Trustees provides financial support to the clinic’s operations.
Mark Biscone, the longtime CEO at Waldo County General Hospital, has been named to also fill in as the interim CEO for Pen Bay Medical Center for approximately the next six months.
“I will continue with my responsibilities as Executive Director at Waldo County General Hospital allocating my time appropriately between the two facilities,” he wrote in a memo to WCGH staff and the Board of Directors.
“Both Hospital Boards feel as I do that this is a great opportunity to continue working together on a regional basis and meeting the mission of the MaineHealth system. This is especially true in light of the changing reimbursement systems by our governments and commercial insurers as well as the realization that 60 percent of our state Hospitals are currently incurring operating losses,” Biscone continued.
He said he will generally be at Waldo County on Mondays and Fridays and in Rockport at Pen Bay on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays; however, he will always be available by email with both hospitals.
In a meeting with employees, Biscone said WCGH and Pen Bay are already sharing some physicians and his service at Pen Bay might result in more opportunities for collaboration. For example, he said it might be beneficial to have an oncology center in Lincolnville, about half way between the two facilities.
As for the state of the healthcare industry, Biscone said he is very concerned about a bill that proposes to repeal the Sales Tax Exemption for hospitals. He said the impact to WCGH will exceed $667,000 per year at a time when there are already major reductions in payments to the hospital, along with an increased hospital tax.
Biscone has written to the local state delegation and suggested a better solution to the state budget shortfall would be to increase the tobacco tax. He said that would be a win-win situation for the State financially and from a public health prospective.
The 30th annual Family Wellness Fair was a huge success with good attendance and lots of individuals taking advanage of the free health screenings. Above, Community Health Manager Shannon Robbins tests Joanna Schmieder’s cholesterol level.
The Penobscot Marine Museum nowhas four historic photos on display at the Hospital. Shown with the photos are Kevin Johnson, Photo Archivist at the musuem, and Rob Fowler RN, Director of Quality at the Hospital. The photos will rotate every quarter.
Are you one of those people who plan out your weekends at the beginning of the summer season? If so and you enjoy motorcycling, the annual Waldo County Ride for Oncology will be held Sunday, Sept. 7, with kickstands up at 10:30 a.m. FMI, visit: www.wcgh.org/rideforoncology.
The third annual Cardiac Rehab 5K was held May 3 with some 65 walkers taking part. Proceeds will benefit the Phase III scholarship fund. Below are the volunteers who turned out to help. An estimated $700 was raised at the annual event.
On May 3 the Hospital Aid held a successful spring yard sale, raising S2,030.
A very successful fundraiser was held recently for Virgil Thompson, who seriously injured himself in a non-work-related accident. Above, his wife Jen draws a winnning ticket from a bowl held by Jeff Davis, head of security, who replaced Thompson when he left to work at Penobscot Shores.
WCGH had two teams of first-time triathletes competing. They are from left in front,Hannah Holland, Kate Fagan,Erica Staples, and George Orestis. In the back are Gary Moline and Cathy Ciofolo.
Joanne Moesswilde NP finishes her run.
Pharmacist Brooks Hurley heads out on his bike
Dr. Andy Dixon directs George orestis to the bike parking location.
Erica Staples heads out for her run.
Hannah Holland relaxes with daughter Willow after completing her swim.
Speech therapist LaNae Moline’s husband was on the Hospital team, her elder son Brendan Moline won the junior competition and younger son Gary finished sixth.
Physical Therapy Aide Tammy Sanderson works on young Gary Moline’s leg.
Darrel Smith receives his medal from Olympic gold medatist Seth Westcott.
Recently, Linda Hartkopf, the RSU 20 5-2-1-0 School Health Coordinator, whose position is funded by Waldo County General Hospital, challenged the Belfast Co-op to come up with a recipe using beans as an alternative protein that was economical, could be easily made by the RSU 20 food service, meet the My Plate standards (a majority of fruits, vegetables, protein and grain on the plate with a side of dairy) and would be enjoyed by students.
The Co-op developed a Mexican Lasagna made with beans, a corn tortilla, veggies and a light cheese on top. Then she visited the Captain Albert Stevens School and East Belfast School in Belfast, and the Drinkwater School in Northport and had the students taste test the dish.
After hearing about My Plate and what they should be eating for a balanced diet, the students gave the dish a try.
Top photo, first grader Sam Kirkpatrick of Belfast toys with the lasagna a little before taking a taste. Then after discussing it with some of his tablemates, Sam gives the dish a thumbs up. He was joined in voting to ask that the dish be put on the school lunch menu by 90 percent of the students.
