By now, if you live on the Boothbay peninsula, you should have received a mailing from the board members of the planned Boothbay Region Health Center. It contains a brochure describing the health services we plan to offer along with a request for your support. If you haven’t received it, you may obtain a copy at the Community Center in the Meadow Mall.

The Boothbay Region Health Center (BRHC) is envisioned to be an independent, comprehensive primary-care health center under community governance. Its mission is to serve the health needs of the people of the Boothbay Region with a collaborative team of physicians, nurses, and allied health professionals working in partnership with patients and other community health services.

We plan to provide:

• Comprehensive primary care
• Extended hours, same day access, walk-in availability, and after hours on-call
• Mental health, behavioral health, and substance abuse treatment
• Dental care
• Patient compass program to assist patients in navigating the health-care system
• Local health coaches to provide proactive and preventive care
• Integrative and holistic health services
• Referral to selected specialists and acute-care facilities
• Community health education

Boothbay Region Health Care, Inc. is a private, not-for-profit corporation established in the state of Maine to provide health services for the residents of the Boothbay Region. The board was formed in March 2014 with support from the Boothbay Region Health and Wellness Foundation to research the health-care needs of our community and to develop a plan to address unmet needs. Board members currently are local residents Jerry Homer, Liz Lussier and Carl Hamrin. Bringing health care that is affordable and accessible to the region is central to the board’s vision for the new health center.

As the board researched ways to provide effective primary care, we found several models that stand out, most notably, IORA Health under Dr. Rushika Fernandopulle in Massachusetts, and Seaport Health Center, part of Penobscot Community Health Centers (PCHC) in Belfast, with Dr. David Loxterkamp. Plans for the BRHC have been developed following these models along with input from local medical professionals. These models, providing comprehensive primary care services with a coordinated team of health professionals, working together, have been found to be effective for producing better health outcomes and decreasing the need for expensive emergency care. A 2007 Harvard study of an IORA Health practice found that, although average patient Primary Care costs increased from $500 to $1,000 a year, the savings achieved more than outweighed those costs as ER visits dropped by 48 percent and hospital admissions were reduced by 41 percent. A July 2015 PCHC newsletter reported that in a six-month period, hospital admissions went from 347 to 62 and ER visits decreased from 1041 to 190. We hope to achieve similar results here, in the Boothbay Region, bringing better health outcomes and reduced healthcare costs to the people of this community.

A schematic plan for the facility was developed with WBRC Architect Richard Borelli, along with extensive input from local health professionals. The goal of the design is to promote operational efficiency and collaboration between practitioners. The consultation rooms are all 10’ x 12’. Patients enter from the outer hallway and practitioners from the interior. The total space is 5300 square feet and fits in the two available units in the Meadow Mall between House of Pizza and Key Bank.

How can we raise the funds for such an ambitious project? We know that there are a lot of worthy charitable non-profits in our community that need and deserve your support. We also know that it is not possible to raise all the start-up funds needed solely within this community. What we need is indication of broad support from the community. No donation amount is too small. We’ve received donations of $5 with great appreciation because each shows one more member of this region supporting the plan. Additionally, in-kind donations are enthusiastically sought and received. If we can get at least 400 people from the region to show their support we can use that information to apply for grants.

You may be wondering how we will attract and recruit primary care practitioners at a time when there is a shortage. The advantage of this model is that it is a preferred work environment for physicians and nurse practitioners. It provides for more time with patients and more support from the other healthcare team members. We have been in talks with well respected physicians. Additionally, we have met with the University of New England Medical School to discuss entering into an arrangement to provide student projects with the long-term hope that they will want to return after graduation to work at the health center.

We need your help.

We cannot do this without the support of the community.

If you have questions or comments, come to The Community Center on Mondays from 2-4 p.m. for a drop-in conversation with a board member of Boothbay Region Health Care, Inc. We encourage all input, as we want this to be a health center by and for this community.

You may also contact us at info@boothbayhealthcare.org if you prefer, find more information at our website, www.boothbayhealthcare.org.

Please “like” us on Facebook www.facebook.com/boothbayhealthcare.org/

For more information contact Elizabeth Lussier, 633-1162, or go to: http://boothbayhealthcare.org/contact-us-2/