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Hundreds Gather for Dedication of Maine Medical Center's East Tower
Barbara Bush, Governor Baldacci help dedicate the 190,000-square-foot facility
September 6, 2008
The community got its first look at the future of mother-baby care today, as Maine Medical Center dedicated its new 190,000-square-foot East Tower. Barbara Bush, former first lady, and Governor John Baldacci were on-hand for the event, which included tours of the new Prenatal, Labor/Delivery/Recovery, Neonatal Intensive Care, and Mother Baby units.
"This is a very exciting time for all of us at Maine Medical Center," said Richard Petersen, the hospital's Interim President and Chief Executive Officer. "Legendary football coach Vince Lombardi said 'The achievements of an organization are the results of the combined effort of each individual', and this has never been more true than with this project. The combined efforts of each individual - thousands of them - are indeed what made this East Tower a reality." Petersen went on to thank those involved in the project, from "carpenters to contractors, architects to artists, electricians to engineers, and many others."
The East Tower, the new home of the hospital's women and infants services and the future location of an expanded Emergency Department, represents the latest piece of the hospital's master facilities expansion, which includes its newly-opened main entrance and lobby, central utility plant, helipad, and 480-space parking garage.
More than 500 employees from women and infants' services and the Emergency Department will work in the East Tower.
"Maine Medical Center is a true community partner, dedicated to patient-focused care," said Governor Baldacci. "We value that Maine Medical Center has worked to advance the State Health Plan goals of improving the efficiency and effectiveness of health care to keep costs affordable."
The ceremony concluded with Mrs. Bush and six-year-old twins Meaghan and Riley McBreairty "cutting" a 70-pound, 130-foot ribbon wrapped around the front of the East Tower. The McBreairty girls were born early and spent three months in MMC's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the hospital. The entire family participated in today's ceremony.
"This time is extra special for our family," said the twins' father, Shawn McBreairty, who along with his wife, Patti, provided feedback and suggestions to the hospital during the East Tower planning process. "Just this week, our girls went to their first day of kindergarten and they will celebrate their sixth birthday next weekend. We are truly blessed to have them in our lives."
The East Tower is unique in its focus on making the birth experience much more patient- and family-centered, with spacious, private rooms, featuring a sleeper sofa for the father or other family member, music, a whirlpool tub, wireless access, and more.
Maine Medical Center, the state's largest hospital, delivers approximately 2,500 babies each year; 70 percent of all low birth weight babies born in Maine are cared for at MMC's Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
An estimated 55,000 patients are treated in the medical center's Emergency Department each year. Its 25,000-square-foot expansion into the basement of the East Tower is slated to open next year.
The new mother-baby units open for patient care on Tuesday, September 16.
Maine Medical Center is a complete health care resource for the people of Greater Portland and the entire state. MMC's unique role as both a community hospital and a referral center requires an unprecedented depth and breadth of services, including an active educational program and a world-class research center. As a nonprofit institution, Maine Medical Center provides nearly 23% of all the charity care delivered in Maine. MMC is a member of MaineHealth, a growing family of healthcare services in southern, central, and western Maine.
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