BAR HARBOR — Kate Worcester, Certified Physician Assistant at Cooper Gilmore Health Center, has received the Outstanding Health Care Professional of the Year Award from her peers at the Maine Physician Assistant Association (MEAPA). This award is presented each year to a Physician Assistant who has demonstrated exceptional knowledge and teaching skills in support of the profession, with an emphasis on contributions to the improvement of health care in Maine.
“Throughout the novel coronavirus pandemic, Kate has taken a lead role in testing, counseling and education. I am very pleased to have the opportunity to congratulate her for this noteworthy achievement,” said MDI Hospital President/CEO Arthur J. Blank. “Together with her support team, Kate embodies MDI Hospital’s core values by providing personalized, dedicated, and compassionate care for all who live in and visit our community.”
In MEAPA’s statement about the award, it was noted that Worcester, “has set a high bar for PAs and other healthcare professionals with her leadership, patient care and dedication to education. … Thank you, Kate, for your outstanding service to your community and for making MEAPA proud!”
Worcester joined MDI Hospital in 2006 after receiving her PA-C degree from the University of New England. As a primary care provider at the Cooper Gilmore Health Center, Worcester specializes in family medicine and general surgery. “I practice patient-centered care tailored to the healthcare goals of the individual and at times the family,” Worcester says of her care philosophy. She previously practiced in the emergency department, on the hospitalist service – where she became MDI Hospital’s first hospitalist PA and served as the Clinical Lead for Allied Health Professionals – and provided critical care at Maine Medical Center.
Most recently, Worcester has been MDI Hospital’s primary COVID-19 testing tent practitioner and has taken a lead role in counseling and providing contact tracing assistance to residents and visitors. Worcester also regularly participates in MDI Hospital’s virtual COVID-19 Town Hall series, offering education and support to our community concerning the pandemic, including development of workplace safety guidelines for employers to improve safety and reduce the risk of transmission of the novel coronavirus.