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W O R K F O R M E / S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 26 37 primary care centers and over 12,000 employees. "There is a significant de- mand nationally for specific skills within health care, such as respiratory therapists, ICU nurses and others." The same is true at Central Maine Healthcare, the Lewis- ton-based system that operates Central Maine Medical Center, Bridgton Hospital and Rumford Hospital. "We are seeing a need for more critical care-trained nurses, emergency room staff and like everywhere in Maine, respiratory therapists," says spokeswoman Kate Carlisle. "And of course we are facing a critical nursing shortage in Maine and across the United States." Carlisle, Bolin and other health industry professionals agree that the crisis has also shifted demand away from some occupations and clini- cal specialties. Hospitals have canceled or postponed elective procedures. Some services, es- pecially in ambulatory clinics, have been scaled back. "Other skill sets, such as sur- gical schedulers, those working in areas with many elective pro- cedures and outpatient provider practices are not in as great de- mand. Nationally, some of the positions are being furloughed or put out on layoff due to lack of work," says Bolin. Predictions and demographics Experts also caution that with a new, fast-changing crisis like COVID-19, predictions may be premature. "It's simply too soon to tell what kind of long-term effect the pandemic will have on Maine's health care workforce," says Becky Schnur, of the Maine Hospital Association. At Maine Medical Center, the state's largest hospital and the flagship of the MaineHealth system, officials are also taking a wait-and-see approach. "It is too early to tell what kind of impact the pandemic will have on health care staffing," says spokeswoman Caroline Cornish. One reason it's hard to fore- cast the impact is that while 46 Years of Building Maine B R U N S W I C K 2 0 7-7 2 5 - 4 3 0 4 I N F O @ P O U L I N C O N S T R U C T I O N M E . C O M HOTELS RESTAURANTS ASSISTED LIVING MULTI-USE OFFICE SUITES EDUCATION THAT WORKS 1 COLLEGE CIRCLE, BANGOR, ME | 207.941.7000 | husson.edu BUSINESS | COMMUNICATIONS | COUNSELING | CRIMINAL JUSTICE EDUCATION | HEALTH | PHARMACY | SCIENCE & HUMANITIES | TECHNOLOGY For more information, contact Melissa Rosenberg, Director of Admissions rosenberg@husson.edu | 207.404.5660 Whether you're just starting out or want a career change, consider a career-focused education in healthcare and business. Earn a certificate in areas such as paralegal, web design, accounting, and more. C O N T I N U E D O N F O L L O W I N G PA G E » « C O N T I N U E D F R O M P R E V I O U S PA G E H e a l t h C a r e Students in Eastern Maine Community College's medical assistant program practice taking vital signs. The one-year program is free to students, part of a short-term training curriculum funded in part by a grant from the Harold Alfond Foundation. P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y M A I N E C O M M U N I T Y C O L L E G E S Y S T E M