Mainebiz

W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 13 S E P T E M B E R 1 7 , 2 0 1 8 F O C U S H E A LT H C A R E SymQuest is committed to meeting your IT needs. We acknowledge that managing IT in your practice is more than understanding regulation. We work with you to build a thorough and compliant plan for managing the exchange of data, and processes involved with your IT infrastructure. We are positioned to assist you with the knowledge and know how necessary to keep your systems streamline and compliant. For More Information Call Us At (800) 374-9900 SymQuest.com ot surprisingly in a state with the oldest median age, health care is the sector with the greatest employment prospects for the next decade. A report by the Center for Workforce Research at the Maine Department of Labor shows that health care and social services — which employed more than 100,000 in 2014 — are projected to add more than 8,000 jobs by 2024. An industry-specific breakdown shows that ambulatory health care services will add 3,728 jobs, hospi- tals will add 2,310 positions, and nursing and residential care facilities will 1,942 jobs over the 10-year horizon covered in the study, "Maine Workforce Outlook 2014 to 2024." S TA R T I N G O N F O L L OW I N G PA G E » N Health care barriers for low- income uninsured Mainers More than half of Maine's low-income uninsured adults, 54%, do not have a regular health care provider, more than double the rate for those who are insured, according to a March 2014 by the University of Southern Maine's Muskie School of Public Service. e March 2018 report, posted on the Maine Health Access Website, says the lack of a regular health care provider among uninsured adults may be related to greater difficulty finding a pro- vider who will accept them as patients. Affordability is another barrier, prompt- ing 56% of uninsured low-income adults to frequently delay or go without needed medical services. Access problems for uninsured low-income adults puts them at greater risk of poor health if they are not adequately monitoring health care conditions or if new condi- tions are identified much later than they would be with insurance coverage. MaineHealth's ERs getting a makeover At Waldo County General Hospital, construction of a state-of-the-art emer- gency department is underway. It will add six private rooms, including updated trauma rooms and dedicated space for psychiatric crisis patients. An opening date is targeted for May 2019. Another MaineHealth property, Pen Bay Medical Center, is also working on an emergency department renova- tion and expansion. e new space is expected to improve patient flow, incor- porate updated technology for diag- nosing and monitoring high-acuity patients and address growing demand for psychiatric and addiction services. Construction will begin once 70% of funds needed have been raised. ' One-stop' shop for health care debuts in Topsham A new model of health care, providing multiple services under one roof, has opened on the midcoast. Central Maine Healthcare is attracting patients to its innovative facility at the Topsham Fair Mall. Next door, Maine Urgent Care, also provided by CMH, was scheduled to open on Sept. 17. Partnering with expert providers in oncology, imaging, diagnostics, ortho- pedics and plastic surgery, and offering specialty care in cardiology, vascular health, urology endocrinology and more, CMH says it has created a more affordable "one stop" option for patients in a central location. "e future of health care in Maine depends on a new model of care deliv- ery, and this new center represents that model," said CEO Jeff Brickman. "We are providing more affordable, acces- sible, high-quality care where Mainers live, work, shop and play." Services offered include specialty care, cancer care, laboratory services, medical imaging, orthopedic care and reconstructive surgery consultation. P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y O F C E N T R A L M A I N E H E A LT H C A R E Central Maine Healthcare's new site in Topsham offers a range of care.

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