The MaineHealth Podcast

WTKE - Episode 57: MaineHealth's Oncology Service Line

Working Together with COO Kelly Elkins podcast, Episode 57
Oncology Service Line with Mike Bianchi

Access to high-quality oncologic care is vitally important to the communities we serve. In the latest Working Together episode, Vice President Oncology Service Line Mike Bianchi joins Chief Operating Officer Kelly Elkins to discuss how this service line is benefiting the lives of those impacted by cancer across Maine and New Hampshire, and how we are ensuring access to high-quality care for the future.

Mike talks about the evolution of the oncology service line at MaineHealth, its strategic priorities, and how MaineHealth is positioning itself to meet the needs of our patients and communities in the years ahead.

AOD 11-20-24 Celebrating our Community Health Workers

Andy's Open Door Recording
Wednesday, November 20, 2024

Chief Health Improvement Officer Dora Mills, MD and Alison Prior, CNA, CHW and Substance Use Disorder Navigator, joined Andy for an inspiring and informative conversation about the significant impact of Community Health Workers and their vital role in addressing social drivers of health (SDOH).

Andy opened the broadcast with a message of gratitude for the hard work our care team has dedicated to successfully implementing Infor CloudSuite, enhancing quality of care and contributing to MaineHealth's solid financial position.

Dora spoke about the importance of screening for SDOH and the referral pathways and resources to enable people to build their best lives. Alison shared how her personal journey led her to MaineHealth, and how she draws on her own experience as she walks beside others on their journey others on their journey to recovery. She mentioned the unique three-pronged model the team uses to address barriers and the positive outcomes they've seen. 

Empathy at every interaction changes lives. Join us!

WTKE - Episode 56: The Role of AI in MaineHealth

Working Together with COO Kelly Elkins, Episode 56
The Role of AI in MaineHealth

In this episode, Kelly and Chief Information Officer Dan Nigrin, MD, delve into the evolving role of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare and at MaineHealth. They discuss the definition of AI, its major types, and both current and future use cases in the medical field, as well as the risks and benefits of adopting AI. This insightful discussion provides valuable perspectives on how MaineHealth is currently utilizing AI, and the future integration of AI in healthcare systems.

AOD 11-06-24: MaineHealth Veteran Care Team Panel

Andy's Open Door Recording
Wednesday, November 06, 2024

In today's episode, Andy welcomed a panel of MaineHealth veterans to talk about the ways we support both our care team and our patients who are veterans.

Andy's guests were Josh Knowles, DO, MaineHealth Orthopedics North Conway, Allison Taylor, MaineHealth Maine Medical Center Portland Safety & Emergency Management, and Nick Adler, NorDx director of sales and marketing. They each shared their service backgrounds and the unique skillsets they've carried forward in their current roles.

The episode also explores MaineHealth's initiatives to honor and support veterans, such as the Veterans Care Team Network, the introduction of veteran identifiers in patient records, and the recently implemented 'Code Honor' tribute for veterans' final journeys in our hospitals.

WTKE - Episode 55: Trellis Health

Working Together with COO Kelly Elkins, Episode 55
Trellis Health with Tam StClaire

In the latest Working Together episode, Kelly and Tam StClaire, President of Primary Care Delivery Services, talk about Trellis Health, an exciting new model for how primary care is accessed, experienced, and delivered at MaineHealth. Trellis opened its doors in October 2024 with a unique care team approach that provides 24/7 patient access. Listen to learn more about Tam StClaire’s background and this innovative initiative.

WTKE - Episode 54: Roadmap to Integrated Care Delivery

Working Together with COO Kelly Elkins, Episode 54
Roadmap to Integrated Care Delivery with Nate Mick, MD

Over the past few years, MaineHealth has implemented positive changes such as our regional operating model, enhanced system-wide processes and resources, major IT initiatives, and the license integration of the Southern Region hospitals. While these are exciting initiatives, they also come at a time when our health system is experiencing challenges and opportunities.

This ranges from ongoing workforce challenges to bed capacity challenges that impact patient flow throughout our hospitals. It is imperative that we come together to resolve them and create a highly effective environment to support our care team and patients. In this episode, Nate Mick, MD, Associate Chief Medical Officer for Maine Medical Center Portland, joins Kelly to discuss the roadmap to integrated care delivery initiative to drive this work.

AOD 10-16-24: All About Infor

Andy's Open Door Recording
Wednesday, October 16, 2024
Guests: Lou Inzana & Tracy Cote

Today's AOD was hosted by COO Kelly Elkins. She began by reflecting on current events – the anniversary of the Lewison tragedy, recent hurricanes, the upcoming elections, and the wars in Gaza and Ukraine – and the stress our care team may be experiencing. Kelly highlighted the resources available and encouraged everyone to look after themselves and support one another.

She segued to today’s program topic, “All About Infor,” with Associate CFO Lou Inzana and HR Director of Operations Tracy Cote. Lou described Infor CloudSuite as “the next generation of Lawson,” noting it is a major upgrade to a new business platform, comparable in significance to how Epic supports clinical operations.

Their discussion focused on Infor CloudSuite’s many benefits, including enhanced financial, statistical and operational reporting. Tracy pointed out the functionalities of both the Employee Space and Manager Space that will simplify tasks, such as updating personal details, checking PTO balances, and more, through easy-to-use icons and real-time SmartHelp. She also emphasized the training opportunities and support available to MaineHealth care team members, including the HR Support Center, Change Champions and the INFOR NEED TO KNOW intranet site, which has valuable resources for information and FAQs.

 

WTKE: Episode 53 - Reducing Our Carbon Footprint

Working Together with COO Kelly Elkins, Episode 53
Reducing Our Carbon Footprint with Mike Arsnow

In this episode, Kelly chats with Mike Arsnow, MaineHealth Manager of Sustainability, about the progress our health system is making toward our aspirational goal of reducing our carbon footprint by 25% by 2027, with a long-term goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050. 

Mike talks about the work to make the "pipe and jacket" system more efficient in our facilities, and what the Sustainability Committees are working on around the MaineHealth system. This is an insightful discussion on the sustainable initiatives under way across MaineHealth to contribute to a healthier planet.

AOD 10-02-24: Connecting Departmental Goals to MaineHealth's Balanced Scorecard

Andy's Open Door Recording
Wednesday, October 2, 2024
Guests: Celia Shaughnessy & Stacey Oliveto

In this episode of Andy's Open Door, Celia Shaughnessy, VP of Operations Transformation, and Stacey Oliveto, Pharmacy Operations Manager, talked with Andy about the linkages between the Scorecard and our vision of working together so our communities are the heathiest in America, and the work care team members are doing every day to achieve it.

Through examples like the Department Scorecard at the inpatient pharmacy at Pen Bay Hospital, Celia and Stacey discussed the advantages of iterative process improvement, listening to subject matter experts, providing the freedom to problem-solve, and using the support and resources available across our health system.

AOD September 18, 2024: Introducing Trellis Health

Andy's Open Door Recording
Wednesday, September 18, 2024
Guest: Tam St. Claire

How did a successful Silicon Valley entrepreneur move to Maine, join MaineHealth and lead the upcoming Oct 1 launch of the value-based start-up Trellis Health in just one year? We find out in this week's AOD. You’ll hear Tamara St. Claire, President of Trellis Health, and Andy discuss how Trellis Health is tackling today’s access challenges with a care delivery model that aims to transform the primary care experience.

Tam and Andy talk about how Trellis Health is innovating, what it offers (and to whom), and how it is collaborating with MaineHealth Medical Group and others across our organization to bring this vision to life.