Oncology clinic progress and financial information shared with the community
By Robbie McKay Lincoln News • May 23, 2019
MILLINOCKET – With construction soon to begin on the Oncology Clinic’s renovation, Millinocket Regional Hospital is sharing information with the community and region about the progress of the project.
Katie Mackin, Marketing Coordinator with MRH, has released information that details the overall plans for the clinic as well as what has been done already along with the financial information of the project.
“When the renovation is finished, the clinic will be in its original location,” said Mackin. “It will expand its footprint and optimize the space by incorporating an existing hallway that runs parallel to the clinic,” Mackin said.
Some features that will be incorporated into the clinic include a waiting area; three treatment bays and a private treatment room; physician office and medication room; a nourishment station for patients and families; along with lights on dimmer switches among other features. The new chairs that are currently in use were purchased through a $20,000 donation by the Elks Lodge BPOE 1521 of Millinocket.
Currently, the construction start date is in July, and should take four to five months to complete. The winning bid for the project was awarded to Nickerson and O’Day.
“Nickerson & O’Day’s bid was accepted. They were willing to work with us to help narrow the deficit and their reputation speaks for itself,” said Mackin. “The fact that they have ties to our local community is a bonus; as they have first hand knowledge of the importance of this project. Their diligent work to find alternatives that wouldn’t sacrifice quality provided an additional savings of $53,500 (for MRH),” Mackin said.
The original cost of the project totaled $520,000 but after taking into account Nickerson and O’Day’s recommended cost savings alternatives, MRH was able to deduct another $53,500 from the price bringing them to a total projected cost of $466,500. A $300,000 grant from the NextGen Foundation precipitated the effort, kicking off a campaign that is supported by both private and public entities, such as the Elks; a $1,000 donation from St. Martin’s Thrift Store; $1,200 from Brookfield Power; and $2745 from Our Katahdin. The Northern Timber Cruisers have sponsored benefit suppers as well which is included in the nearly $80,000 raised locally.
“After factoring in our costs that remain, we need to raise around $112,500 to fully fund this project,” said Mackin.
As of Wednesday, May 15th, the Oncology clinic has been temporarily relocated to the med/surg floor in rooms 216 and 218, where they will remain until the renovations to the clinic are completed.
Anyone wishing to be part of fundraising efforts can contact Mackin at 723-7273 for more information.
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About Millinocket Regional Hospital
Millinocket Regional Hospital (MRH) is a 25 bed Critical Access Hospital nestled at the base of Baxter State Park that provides vital healthcare services to those who live, work and play in the Katahdin Region. Beyond the friendly staff and award-winning patient care, MRH provides an impressive range of specialty and general services; with a recent expansion resulting in the addition of eight new specialties and a Walk-In Care facility. In 2018, MRH was awarded the Press Ganey ‘Guardian of Excellence Award’ for exceptional patient experience; a nationally-recognized symbol of achievement for hospitals who consistently perform within the top 5%. Providing jobs to approximately 250 people, MRH is the largest employer in the Katahdin Region and a crucial economic driver within its community. For more information, please visit www.mrhme.org or www.facebook.com/MillinocketRegionalHospital