WHAT'S NEW AT RFGH

Water Exercise for Expectant Moms!
Maine Health Access Foundation (MeHAF) Awarded Grant
Tracy King, RN joins RFGH as Director of Ambulatory Services
RFGH named National Award winner for Ambulatory Surgery Care
Somerset Sports & Fitness receives award from state

Skowhegan, Maine — The Maine Health Access Foundation (MeHAF) has awarded a grant totaling $56,832 to Redington-Fairview General Hospital (RFGH), on behalf of the Somerset County Chambers of Commerce Wellness Council. The grant will provide funding for the Wellness Council to make pro active health care more responsive to small business needs. The award was officially made at a breakfast meeting held by the council today in downtown Skowhegan.

Many small business employers and employees are adversely affected by lack of insurance or access to primary care as well as by the lack of health promotion and wellness resources that bigger companies can provide. The Somerset Chambers Wellness Council, in partnership with their small businesses and community health care providers, works to develop solutions to overcome this problem.

"MeHAF's grants seek to support coordinated delivery of health care in Maine," said MeHAF senior program officer, Barbara Leonard. "We know that small businesses here in Maine and across the country are struggling with health care issues."

The grant will fund support for 10 small businesses in Norridgewock and Jackman, to implement best practices for worksite health promotion; as well as to conduct focus groups with employers, employees and health care providers to learn more about the health care issues they face, and how to address those issues.

Business tool kits will be created for the Chambers, and lessons learned from this work will be made available to other Chambers across the state.

"This work bridges gaps by striving for integration of health care with the health and wellness needs of small businesses, their employees and families," said Leonard.

"RFGH is pleased to be the fiscal agent and partner for this grant on behalf of the Council," said Bill Primmerman, who manages other grant work for RFGH as project director for Somerset Heart Health. "RFGH has a commitment to the health of the community and to supporting preventative care. MeHAF is Maine's largest statewide, independent health care foundation and we are extremely pleased to have them as a funding partner for this important work."

If you are a small business in Norridgewock or Jackman, with 10 or less employees, and would like to know more about being a pilot site for the grant, or if you are a Somerset County business or health care provider wanting more information about the focus groups, call Somerset Heart Health at 474-7473.

The Somerset County Chambers of Commerce Wellness Council was established in 2004-2005. The role of the council is to develop and disseminate community support, resources and lessons learned related to the promotion of a pro-active system of health care between: small businesses (employer/employee/family members), primary care physicians (PCP's) and community resource partners (both local and state). Council membership includes small businesses of 10 or less employees such as Maine Fire Equipment, Skowhegan Press and Quinn True Value Hardware as well as larger area businesses like Madison Paper Industries, Medical Care Development and Redington-Fairview General Hospital. Local and state resource providers include the Somerset County Association of Resource Providers, RFGH, Medical Care Development, Maine Center for Public Health, Consumers for Affordable Health Care, and the councils newest community partners Anthem Blue providers Kyes Insurance and Miles F. Carpenter CO., INC. Insurance. Council membership costs a business $2.00 per person for up to 100 employees and $200 for businesses of 100 or more employees.

Founded in 2000, MeHAF promotes expanding access to comprehensive, high quality health care in Maine, particularly for people who are uninsured and medically underserved. Visit www.mehaf.org for more information.

Redington-Fairview General Hospital is an independent, critical access community hospital, located in Skowhegan, Maine. RFGH has provided quality, comprehensive health services to the residents of Somerset County since 1952. A member of the Maine Hospital Association, RFGH offers community-based primary care, pediatric care, surgical and specialty services, and 24-hour emergency medical services.

New Faces at RFGH
TRACEY KING, RN

Tracey King, RN, has joined RFGH as Director of Ambulatory Services, where she will oversee the clinics and emergency department. Tracey most recently worked at Downeast Community Hospital in Machias as Director of Outpatient Services. She received her education from the Salvation Army Grace General Hospital School of Nursing in St. John's, Newfoundland Canada. She now resides in Skowhegan with her four sons, ages 13, 8, 7 and 6. She enjoys four wheeling and fishing with her boys, boating, quiet evenings curled up with a good book, wood working and home décor projects.

Redington-Fairview General Hospital (RFGH) in Skowhegan, Maine has been named a National Award winner in healthcare service quality for Five Star Service Ambulatory Surgery Care 2006 by Avatar International Inc., a leader in healthcare research and consulting. This award is based on the results of the hospital's 2006 Ambulatory Surgery Care patient surveys.

In making the announcement, Dr. Michael Everett, Avatar Founder and CEO said, "All medical centers in the U.S. expend significant energy improving the quality of care and the patient experience. Given such competition, Redington-Fairview General Hospital and its staff are to be applauded for being a top performer. It is a remarkable achievement to be the best performer in Ambulatory Surgery Care in the United States."

In accepting this award, Richard Willett, CEO of Redington Fairview General Hospital, said, "I credit our dedicated staff in receiving this award. They do excellent work and this award is testament to that."

ABOUT THE HOSPITAL
Redington-Fairview General Hospital is a 25-bed, independent, community hospital located in Skowhegan, Maine. RFGH has provided quality, comprehensive health services to the residents of Somerset County since 1952. A member of the Maine Hospital Association, RFGH offers community-based primary care, pediatric care, surgical and specialty services, and 24-hour emergency medical services.

ABOUT AVATAR
Avatar definition: exemplar, standard of comparison.

Started in 1981, Avatar has earned its reputation as one of the leading quality improvement firms in the world. As such, Avatar has assisted more U.S. National Baldrige Quality Award winners than any other patient survey company. Today, Avatar's patient survey process is recognized as one of the top in the United States.

Avatar, an international research and consulting group based in Orlando, Florida, specializes in Evidence Based Intelligent Surveys TM and Innovative Strategies TM to transform information into significant improvement for the healthcare industry. Its mission is to improve the quality and efficiency of care in the nation's hospitals. In addition to conducting surveys, Avatar also actively engages hospitals in process improvement, including training in service quality.

Each year, the Maine State Governor's Council on Physical Activity honors different programs around the state that help people to exercise. There are a variety of categories in which a program or person can be nominated.

There are 3 criteria that the awarding council looks at:
•uniqueness of the program
•number of people that the program reaches
•results of the program

Fit for Life has been a class at SSF for almost 6 years - offered consecutively, 3 times a week, with the same instructor. The program attracts participants of a variety of ages and levels of physical ability, and is affordable ($20 per month). Additionally, the program is broadcast 4 times a week on Channel 11, Madison Cable; and videos and DVDs of the course have been sold to close to 70 people in the community.

The awards ceremony was held on Wednesday, May 30th, at the Rotunda in the Hall of Flags, at the State House in Augusta. The Governor was joined by Joan Benoit Samuelson and Dr. Erik Steele, DO, co-chairs of the committee, to present the awards to winners.

SSF director, and Fit for Life instructor, Kelly Coughlin, was joined by program participants at the ceremony.

SSF's Fit for Life Class is a motivating & fun workout for those who need the assistance of a chair or not. The class is held Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays at 8am, and is also aired on Local Cable Channel 11 on Mondays & Wednesdays at 7pm, and Tuesdays & Thursdays at 7am.

Redington-Fairview General Hospital is an independent community hospital located in Skowhegan, Maine. RFGH has provided quality, comprehensive health services to the residents of Somerset County since 1952. A member of the Maine Hospital Association, RFGH offers inpatient and outpatient services in many specialties, has a wide network of community-based primary care physicians, and provides 24-hour emergency medical services.

NEW RFGH
MEDICAL OFFICE BUILDING BEGINS CONSTRUCTION