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W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 31 S E P T E M B E R 1 8 , 2 0 1 7 F O C U S H E A L T H C A R E 'There's a ripple effect' At the other end of the spectrum, but a ected by the same issues, are the recip- ients of Maine Health Access Network's Rural Health Innovation grants. Lincoln's Health Access Network, Mayo Regional Hospital in Dover- Foxcroft, and Pines Health Services in Caribou received , catalyst grants. Central Maine Healthcare in Lewiston and Healthy Acadia in Ellsworth and Machias got , acceleration grants in the rst round. e grants are "focused on how systems might transition to serve the community and create more sustainable health care," Dwyer, a program o cer for MeHAF, says. e smaller grants are designed to promote discussion, look at needs and develop a plan. e second-year grants help fund pilot programs. e ultimate goal is for groups to nd sustainable approaches to health care access that will weather changes in the industry and the economy. MeHAF's e ort is just one element in the movement to strengthen Maine's rural health care partnerships. Two years ago, hospitals in the state's poor- est counties were awarded an , grant for a three-year pilot Rural Health Innovation Network. e program, administered by Cary Medical Center in Caribou, includes Fort Kent's Northern Maine Medical Center, Houlton Regional Hospital, Millinocket Regional Hospital, St. Joseph Hospital in Bangor, Penobscot Valley Hospital in Lincoln, Mount Desert Island Hospital in Bar Harbor, Mayo, Calais Regional Hospital and Down East Community Hospital in Machias. Links between rural health care providers in Maine go back far, but are being enhanced through the push for partnerships, and many have mul- tiple connections. Pines Health Care, a network of providers throughout Downeast and Aroostook County, is connected to Cary. EMHS has forged a partnership with Mayo. Dwyer says the need for innovation is particularly acute in Maine's rural areas. When a major employer closes or there's a major health care policy change, "a ripple e ect takes place across every sector," Dwyer says. ose ripples a ect a community's health care, particularly access. Many of the state's smaller hospitals have lost doctors, stopped providing certain pro- cedures or services, or closed. "How to you maintain a hospital in an area where there's no major employer?" Dwyer says. "How do you do it when much of the population is on Medicare or Medicaid, or lacks insurance?" And the other side of the coin: "How do you get employers to locate a business in an area with no hospital?" Encouraging more connections ose on the forefront of health care partnerships agree that the state's' tradi- tion of collaboration has helped as the culture of health care changes. " ere's a long history of collabora- tion, and I think we'll see it continue," Dwyer says. Hood, of EMHS, says that success- ful partnerships must also include education, the government and business. ere's still a long way to go with the state government "and it's hard to get traction with the cycle of elections," she says. It's also di cult getting some commercial payers on board, but their involvement is crucial, she says. Bangor's -plus bed Eastern Maine Medical Center is part of Brewer-based EMHS, as are a dozen other health care facilities stretching from Presque Isle to Mercy Hospital in Portland. e system employs , and serves a quarter of the state's population, including many who are on Medicare or Medicaid or who lack insurance. For collaboration to work, "we can't have people who are on di erent pages, or have di erent goals," Hood says. "We're going to be in a period of tremendous change for the foresee- able future," Hood says. "We should just anticipate it's going to look dif- ferent, and be open to new structures, new partnerships and new players." M M , a cor r espondent f o r M a i n e b i z , c a n b e r e a c h e d a t @ . IT'S HEALTHY TO BE SAFE Since 1993, MEMIC has helped reduce workers' comp costs in Maine by more than 50 percent and lost-time injuries by about 40 percent. Today, MEMIC continues its mission to improve workplace safety with a focus on ergonomics and wellness. MEMIC policyholders can get help on wellness through free access to thousands of resources, covering topics from workplace culture and ergonomics to back safety and workplace stress, all of which can help your employees be healthier and safer. When it comes to injury prevention, MEMIC walks the talk with two daily stretch breaks for employees. Free Safety Resources for MEMIC Policyholders • Live workshops and webinars • Webinars on demand • Video lending library • Industry-specific safety experts • Online resources and assessment tools • Customized ergonomic advice And, anybody can sign up for the MEMIC Safety Net—our all about workplace safety blog. Sign up at memicsafetynet.com. How do you maintain a hospital in an area How do you maintain a hospital in an area How do you maintain a hospital in an area How do you maintain a hospital in an area How do you maintain a hospital in an area How do you maintain a hospital in an area How do you maintain a hospital in an area How do you maintain a hospital in an area How do you maintain a hospital in an area How do you maintain a hospital in an area How do you maintain a hospital in an area How do you maintain a hospital in an area How do you maintain a hospital in an area How do you maintain a hospital in an area where there's no major employer? where there's no major employer? where there's no major employer? where there's no major employer? where there's no major employer? where there's no major employer? where there's no major employer? where there's no major employer? where there's no major employer? where there's no major employer? where there's no major employer? where there's no major employer? where there's no major employer? — Charles Dwyer Maine Health Access Foundation

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