BANGOR, Maine — Eastern Maine Medical Center has lost a voluntary verification as a trauma center but expects to earn the classification back this spring.
The 400-bed hospital is among three in Maine — along with Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston and Maine Medical Center in Portland — equipped and staffed to handle patients with major traumatic injuries.
EMMC is still certified as a regional trauma center by Maine Emergency Medical Services, a bureau within the state Department of Public Safety. But the hospital chose to allow a separate, optional verification through the American College of Surgeons to lapse, according to Dr. Jim Clarke, chief of surgery. The verification essentially endorses a hospital’s readiness to provide top-quality care to trauma patients.
The college was scheduled to reverify the hospital during a September visit, but EMMC chose to postpone the review following the abrupt departure of former trauma medical director David Burke, Clarke said.
Burke left the hospital to practice in Lewiston.
EMMC has since replaced Burke with Dr. Amy Fenwick, and expects to reschedule the reverification visit for May or June, Clarke said. The hospital continues to maintain the same high-quality care despite the lapse in verification, he said.
“If a patient showed up the day before the visit or the day after the visit, it doesn’t alter practically anything,” he said. EMMC looks forward to re-establishing the verification, Clarke said.
“It inspires us and pushes us to achieve the highest level of care for patients,” he said. “We haven’t stopped doing any of those things just because of the delayed visit.”
Shaun St. Germaine, director of Maine EMS, described the verification lapse as “an easy fix.”
“We certainly still feel that they’re qualified to provide the services that they always have,” he said. “I don’t think they’ve missed a beat.”
EMMC isn’t alone in allowing its American College of Surgeons verification to expire. While MMC and CMMC are verified now, both temporarily lost the classification in 2013.
