Lisa Bergmark, PA-C, Joins PCHC’s Brewer Medical Center
BANGOR — Lisa Bergmark, PA-C, has joined the medical staff of PCHC’s Brewer Medical Center, 735 Wilson Street, to provide Walk-In Care Services. Bergmark’s practice centers on all aspects of high-quality acute medical care and treatment for all ages. Bergmark received her undergraduate degree from Appalachian State University and her Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies from Le Moyne College. She has been practicing since 2008 and served at Lamond Family Medicine and Pardee Urgent Care prior to joining PCHC.
“Lisa has 3 years of experience working in urgent care in North Carolina and is ideally suited to work in the Brewer Medical Center’s Walk-In Care,” said Robert Allen, MD, PCHC’s executive medical director. “She is a very empathetic provider with a strong knowledge base who will provide great care for patients seeking Walk-In services.”
Varicose veins education
BANGOR — Two Eastern Maine Medical Center physicians will share information about varicose veins, answer the community’s questions, and discuss treatment options at a free seminar from 5-7 p.m., Jan. 27, at the Hilton Garden Inn in Bangor.
“Many believe that varicose veins are just a part of life,” says Ashley Robertson, M.D., a vascular internist at EMMC. “That’s simply not the case. If you have varicose veins, you don’t need to live with them. There are treatment options to make you look and feel better.”
The educational seminar also covers spider veins, which cause a smaller blue or red pattern on the skin that resembles a spider web or branches of a tree.
Robertson will be joined at the educational seminar by Mona Li, M.D., an expert on varicose veins who recently joined EMMC.
EMMC staff will be on hand at the seminar to answer individual questions about insurance coverage and discuss next steps with anyone who is interested in seeking treatment.
There is no cost to attend the educational seminar, but registration is required by logging onto vascularcare.emmc.org or calling 973-6670. A dinner with sandwiches, soup, salad, and dessert will be served.
National board
BREWER — The CEO and president of Eastern Maine HomeCare has been elected to the board of the National Association of Home Care and Hospice. Lisa Harvey-McPherson, RN, MBA, MPPM, who is also the vice president of continuum-of-care for EMHS, started her term on the NAHC board on Jan. 1.
“This is a great opportunity to be a part of the national conversation regarding home care and hospice,” Lisa Harvey-McPherson. “The U.S. Census documents that Maine has one of the oldest populations in the country. Demand for home care and hospice will continue to increase as our population ages.”
The NAHC serves as a unified voice for home care and hospice community in the United States.
Thyroid Awareness Month
BANGOR — January is Thyroid Awareness Month. Approximately 2-3 percent of Americans have an underactive thyroid, making this condition one of today’s most common thyroid disorders. Early awareness of the condition and proper medical attention can help balance the effect of underactive thyroid.
The thyroid gland, located in the lower part of the neck, produces chemicals that are necessary for normal growth and mental development in children and help maintain a normal metabolic rate in both children and adults.
Thyroid disease results in either an over production or under production of hormones, which can affect a person’s energy level, mood, weight, sleep patterns, skin texture, and body temperature. People with an underactive thyroid may experience fatigue, poor memory, drier skin, coarse hair, weight gain, or difficulty losing weight. Overactive thyroid symptoms include irritability, heat intolerance, fatigue, weakness, and weight loss with increased appetite.
People experiencing these symptoms should talk to their primary care provider. “Your physician may test for thyroid problems with a blood test, ultrasound imaging, or both,” said Katarzyna Sadurska, M.D., lead physician at Eastern Maine Medical Center’s diabetes and nutrition practice. “You may also be referred to an endocrinologist for an expert consultation and management of thyroid disease. Most thyroid problems once diagnosed can be treated, leading to restoration of normal health and wellbeing.”