Preserving the promise for the next century of care
By Helene Dutil and Laurie Muzzy
Go outside, look up, and see the canopy of green with blue sky peeking through then notice the quiet but for the sound of birds and the distant whirl of a plane flying-in. If you are close enough to see our spectacular lake, there will be a few boats sprinkled among the loons. When night falls, again, look up to the canopy of stars will mesmerize you.
This is our special world. It is why we live, work, and recreate here – all of the time or part of the time. It is where our families lived and vacationed for well over a century. We are blessed to call this “our” corner of the world. It is where many of us have endured peaks and valleys. And we know from experience, things can change quickly when injury or illness present.
We understand the importance of having a hospital close to home. A 35 mile drive can be too far in an emergency, and, thankfully, for more than a century, Northern Light CA Dean Hospital has been a vital part of our community.
This is why we are leading the effort to preserve the promise of quality health care in our region by rebuilding CA.. Dean Hospital. As our community knows, the hospital’s aging infrastructure needs to be modernized. We are grateful Northern Light Health has made a commitment to build a new facility and maintain both emergency care and long-term care beds in our region.
Since the life-changing impacts of COVID-19, our best-kept secret has become more than an ideal vacation spot. More families are making their homes here. This is good news for our local economy and highlights the value of having quality, integrated care in this community.
CA Dean has always supported a skilled healthcare team and staff, purchased new technology, and ensured there is space for appropriate care. In the last year alone, CA Dean had 17,300 patient visits, 3,450 imaging procedures and more than 2,900 emergency department visits. Throughout its history, the hospital has been supported by a dedicated, generous community who understand the tremendous value it provides in our region.
It is so important we modernize the hospital to meet the needs of those who call this region “home,” for a weekend or for a lifetime.
Over the next 18 months, we are leading a community capital campaign to raise $6.2 million to rebuild and improve the existing hospital facility. This includes nearly 11,500 square feet of new construction, five new private patient rooms and a separate wing with 10 skilled care patient rooms. The total project cost is $15 million.
The Moosehead Region is unsurpassed for its beauty, its quiet, and its people. It is why you are here. You have our commitment that you will not have to make a trade-off in health care for the wonderful gift of living here. We hope you will join us in preserving the legacy of CA Dean Hospital for a new century of care.
Dutil and Muzzy are co-chairs of the Northern Light C.A. Dean Hospital capital campaign.