PrimeCare Physicians Join Southern Maine Medical Center
October 01, 2008

YORK COUNTY, MAINE - Southern Maine Medical Center and PrimeCare Physician Associates announced today that they have joined together to form Southern Maine Medical Center (SMMC) PrimeCare Physicians, a multi-specialty medical division of Southern Maine Medical Center. The resulting healthcare group is among the largest in Maine. It brings together over 40 primary care physicians and specialists located in Biddeford, Saco, Kennebunk, Old Orchard Beach and Sanford, and York County's largest medical center, with outpatient diagnostic and therapy centers located with physician office buildings in Kennebunk, Saco, Old Orchard Beach and Biddeford.

The agreement between the two healthcare providers breaks new ground, ensuring significant physician involvement in the governance and operations of Southern Maine Medical Center's comprehensive health care delivery system.

"Physicians are essential members of the patient care team, and we are excited to have them filling important roles on our Board of Directors and senior management team," said Ed McGeachey, president and CEO of SMMC. "Bringing physicians directly into the planning process, and having them work with nurses and other caregivers as a team, makes all the sense in the world. Healthcare is far too complex and expensive today to be delivering care in silos. Working together we can provide the best of care, expand physician access to more people, and control costs by avoiding unnecessary duplication of expensive technology and services. The people of York County
will all benefit."

Southern Maine Medical Center now employs more than 75 physicians, encompassing Family Practice and Internal Medicine, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Cardiology, Neurology, Surgery, Pediatrics, Pulmonology, Orthopedics, Gastroenterology, Emergency Care Medicine, Psychiatry, and Hospitalists. Over 100 additional physicians are members of SMMC's medical staff, providing inpatient, diagnostic, and therapy care through the medical center. The medical center is one of the economic drivers in York County, with over 1,400 employees and annual budget of over $130 million. It recently opened the state's newest emergency center, the Dorothy Walker Bush
Pavilion.

Leslie Tripp, M.D., president of PrimeCare Physician Associates, pointed out that both organizations share a common focus on quality patient care. "PrimeCare has received the highest possible rating for quality from the Maine Health Management Coalition for four consecutive years," he noted. "Southern Maine Medical Center has been named by AVATAR as one of the "Top 10 Hospitals in the Nation for Overall Patient Satisfaction" for the past three years. Together we have a proven track record of quality care and we will build upon that moving forward."

"The signs were changed to reflect the new name and logo, but PrimeCare patients will continue to be seen by their favorite physician at the same office location, with the same telephone number and with the same familiar faces in the office to greet them," McGeachey said. "The only difference is that now their care is backed by the full services and resources of one of Maine's leading medical centers."

Southern Maine Medical Center (SMMC) is a national award-winning medical center offering excellent clinical care that is also compassionate and attentive to each patient's individual needs. In conjunction with a medical staff of over 200 highly-skilled physicians, SMMC offers Maine's newest state-of-the-art emergency and fast track care as well as a full range of inpatient and outpatient services at its 150-bed acute care medical center located just off Exit 32 of I-95 in Biddeford. Additionally, SMMC's physician services offer high quality medical care at physician offices located in Biddeford, Kennebunk, Old Orchard Beach, Saco and Sanford; a full range of outpatient services at its diagnostic and therapy centers in Saco, Kennebunk, and Biddeford. SMMC also offers superior home nursing care through affiliate SMMC Visiting Nurses. SMMC is Joint Commission accredited, state-licensed, affiliated with MaineHealth, and a teaching hospital for University of New England's residency program. To find a physician associated with SMMC, go to http://www.smmc.org.