The MaineHealth Podcast

WTKE - Episode 75: Special Edition: Advisory Board Summit Presentation

Recorded live at the Advisory Board Summit, MaineHealth COO Kelly Elkins discusses how the academic health system is responding to mounting headwinds — from Medicare Advantage and Medicaid cuts to research funding risks — by focusing on operational optimization, expanding care outside the hospital, and building adjacent revenue streams.

Kelly explains the six-point operational push (throughput, length of stay, perioperative flow, ED efficiency, post-acute partnerships, and care variation reduction), the move into retail urgent care and ASCs, and why the organization is planning and investing as if it is already 2027—acting now as though the most challenging scenarios have already arrived so the health system can adapt and thrive no matter what comes next. 

She also discussed three themes shaping MaineHealth’s strategy – Core Business (how the health system is optimizing its hospitals and clinics to meet high demand and maintain stability), Emerging Core (work to expand care beyond the hospital walls to better serve communities and position MaineHealth for the future), and Adjacent Business Lines (steps MaineHealth is taking to diversify revenue and foster innovation). 

Curbside Consult - Episode 7: Adult Psychiatry with Dylan McKenney, MD

In the November episode, hosts Heather Ward and Mike Clark engage with Dr. Dylan McKenney, the medical director of MHACO’s Behavioral Healthcare Program. They discuss the evolving landscape of behavioral health, the integration of mental health services into primary care, and the innovations in treatment delivery, including telehealth and ketamine-assisted psychotherapy. The conversation highlights the importance of collaboration between primary care and behavioral health providers, emerging therapies, and the potential impact of AI on mental health diagnosis and treatment 

Curbside Consult is a podcast from the MaineHealth ACO that brings together specialists and primary care physicians to discuss clinical topics, referral management and coordination of care. Each month, family physician hosts Dr. Mike Clark and Dr. Heather Ward welcome a new specialist physician to share their unique insights.  

Listen to Curbside Consult here or on your favorite podcast app. To stay in touch with the show, follow the MaineHealth ACO on LinkedIn. 

AOD 10-27-25: Open Enrollment Deep Dive at MaineHealth

Back by popular demand, today's Andy's Open Door (AOD) featured a panel discussion with Chief People Officer Scott Ballard, Vice President of Total Rewards Sue Pelletier and Senior Director of Compensation Tammy Broadhurst. Andy and the panelists addressed a wide range of HR topics and answered care team questions submitted to the Ask Andy mailbox.

Sue provided a high-level overview of Open Enrollment and health plan options and benefits, including Espresa. Scott spoke about the redesigned HR website and leadership development, and Tammy discussed all things compensation.

WTKE - Episode 74: Understanding the 340B Challenge: Policy, Impact, and the Path Forward

The 340B Drug Pricing Program is a decades-old federal program designed to support safety-net providers like MaineHealth in stretching scarce resources and expanding access to care. But in recent years, the 340B landscape has shifted dramatically.

From mounting legal challenges to restrictive contract pharmacy policies and changing manufacturer relationships, the program is under increasing pressure — with real consequences for health systems and the patients we serve.

In this new Working Together episode, MaineHealth Chief Operating Officer Kelly Elkins and Chief Pharmacy Officer Brian Marden unpack what’s happening in the 340B space nationally, how it’s affecting our organization locally, and what MaineHealth leaders are doing to respond — and advocate — for a sustainable path forward.

WTKE - Episode 73: Surgical Excellence Delivered Differently: The Orthopedic ASC Journey

As patients increasingly seek high-quality care in lower-cost, more convenient settings, orthopedic ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) have emerged as a cornerstone of value-based care that is transforming how musculoskeletal care is delivered across the country. 

In this new Working Together episode, COO Kelly Elkins explores the development of the MaineHealth Orthopedic Surgery Center and what it takes to design, launch and sustain a successful orthopedic ASC — from selecting the right location and partners, to ensuring clinical excellence, operational efficiency, and a great patient experience. 

Joining Kelly in this conversation are Mike Bianchi, Vice President Emerging Business Lines and Oncology Service Line for MaineHealth and George Babikian, MD, Chief Orthopedic Service Line.

Curbside Consult - Episode 06: Antimicrobial Stewardship with Christina Yen, MD

In this episode, infectious disease physician Dr. Christina Yen discusses the importance of antimicrobial stewardship where antibiotics are prescribed the most: the outpatient setting.  She shares insights on the current state of antibiotic resistance, discusses the current thinking on duration of antibiotic treatments and offers practical tips on managing infectious disease. Other topics include “watchful waiting,” rapid diagnostics, collaboration between primary care and specialists and new guidelines and technologies coming to stewardship in the near future.  

Curbside Consult is the podcast that brings together specialists and primary care physicians to discuss clinical topics, referral management and coordination of care. Each month, family physician hosts Dr. Mike Clark and Dr. Heather Ward welcome a new specialist physician to share their unique insights.  

Listen to Curbside Consult here or on your favorite podcast app or on the MaineHealth Intranet page. To stay in touch with the show, follow the MaineHealth ACO on LinkedIn. 

 

WTKE – Episode 72: Connecting Communities, Strengthening Care Through Regional Governance

For decades, community boards have been at the heart of MaineHealth, ensuring that local voices shaped the care delivered close to home. These boards have been instrumental in aligning MaineHealth’s mission with the unique needs of each community it serves. 

But as healthcare grows more complex and MaineHealth continues to evolve, so too must its governance. That’s why MaineHealth is transitioning from individual community boards to a more integrated regional board structure. This change isn’t about losing local identity—it’s about strengthening the collective voice, streamlining decision-making, and ensuring that resources and strategies are aligned across regions.

In this Working Together podcast, MaineHealth Coastal Region President Andy Patstone joins Chief Operating Officer Kelly Elkins to explore what this transition means for MaineHealth, its care team members, and most importantly, its patients and communities.

AOD 09-17-25 On The Road at MaineHealth Memorial Hospital in North Conway, NH

Andy’s Open Door went “On the Road” to MaineHealth Memorial Hospital in North Conway, NH, where CEO Andy Mueller was joined by Memorial Hospital President Tricia Costigan and Mountain Region Chief Medical Officer Matt Dunn.

Their conversation touched on what makes Memorial so special: its deep roots in the community, its commitment to excellence and innovation, and the way its people step up for each other and for patients every day.

Both Tricia and Matt shared their personal journeys that brought them to Memorial and their work to ensure patients receive outstanding care where and when they need it most. They also explored the unique aspects of serving in a rural community and discussed the ways Memorial is leveraging the resources and expertise of a system to expand access, strengthen coordination, and improve care delivery in meaningful ways.

WTKE - Episode 71: Right Care, Right Now: Innovating Urgent Care Delivery

Convenient, accessible, and increasingly sophisticated retail urgent care centers are bridging the gap between primary care and the emergency room—meeting patients where they are, both physically and in their expectations. But behind the convenience lies a complex and evolving story about care quality, cost, workforce, and integration with the broader healthcare system. 

In this episode, MaineHealth Chief Operating Officer Kelly Elkins discusses MaineHealth’s retail urgent care strategy with Mike Bianchi, Vice President Emerging Business Lines and Oncology Service Line and Alicia Faller, Medical Director Urgent Care. They explore what is driving its growth, how it will reshape the patient experience, and what role it will play in the future of value-based, consumer-centered care.

Listeners will learn how the urgent care model connects to MaineHealth’s broader mission—improving access, experience, and continuity through Epic integration—and how this pilot could scale to additional communities across Maine and New Hampshire.

Curbside Consult - Episode 5: Obesity Medicine with Peter Amann, MD

In the latest podcast episode from the MaineHealth ACO, Dr. Peter Amann shares the latest from obesity medicine, including the GLP-1 revolution, the importance of treating obesity as a chronic disease and the effectiveness of lifestyle interventions. 

Curbside Consult is the podcast that brings together specialists and primary care physicians to discuss clinical topics, referral management and coordination of care. Each month, family physician hosts Dr. Mike Clark and Dr. Heather Ward welcome a new specialist physician to share their unique insights.  

Listen to Curbside Consult here or on your favorite podcast app, or on the MaineHealth intranet home page. To stay in touch with the show, follow the MaineHealth ACO on LinkedIn.