HRH $500,000 expansion to improve patient flow

Houlton Pioneer Times Photo/Joseph Cyr
HOSPITAL PROJECT — Mike Fogarty, left, director of physician practices and rural health clinics at Houlton Regional Hospital, gives a tour of the Houlton Family Practice Rural Health Clinic to Congressman Mike Michaud Friday morning. The hospital received a $247,500 federal grant to expand its clinic, thanks to the Congressman’s efforts.
By Joseph Cyr
Staff Writer
    HOULTON — Expanded health care and renovations are in the works at Houlton Regional Hospital thanks, in part, to federal grant money.
    Tom Moakler, CEO of Houlton Regional Hospital, announced at a press conference Friday that HRH received a $247,500 federal grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration to renovate and upgrade its Houlton Family Practice Rural Health Clinic. The hospital will foot an additional $247,500 out of its pocket, bringing the total renovation costs to $494,000.
    The offices are located on the top floor of the hospital and consist of 2,200 square feet, which houses two obstetrics providers and four family practice providers.
    “The project includes renovation of the current suite to improve patient flow and renovation of an additional 1,700 square feet of office space, which is adjacent to the current office and currently houses a urology practice,” Moakler said. “The urology practice will be relocated to another part of the medical office, most probably the Cardiac Rehab gym.”
    Space, or lack thereof, is the driving factor in renovating the clinic. According to Mike Fogarty, director of physician practices and rural health clinics, there is simply not enough room to meet the needs of the volume of people coming in.
    “It’s tight space for the number of providers we have,” Fogarty said. “We made a few changes in our schedule [due to space]. The providers used to work five days a week, but due to the space constraints, we went to a four-day [schedule]. They are a little bit longer days, but it allowed one less day of having an extra body in the office.
    Once complete, the new family practice office will be able to accommodate an additional medical provider, bringing the total number of family providers to five, which will improve access to primary care, Moakler said.
    “Many providers aren’t even accepting new patients — they are that busy,” Moakler said. “And when you do get an appointment, you could be waiting awhile.”
    Because of this delay, Moakler said many individuals are using the Emergency Room as a method of seeking medical attention.
    Congressman Mike Michaud helped obtain federal grant money for HRH. Three years ago, Michaud helped HRH secure funding for a veterans’ clinic at the hospital.
    Planning and design for the project is slated to begin in early 2011, with construction commencing in August 2011. It is anticipated the project will be completed by March 2012.