For Immediate Release
June 15, 2001

Contact:
Beryl Wolfe
(207) 775-5115
E-mail: beryl@wolfenews.com
Web Site: http://www.martinspoint.org

Ten health professionals - doctors, specialists and administrators - from the Republic of Moldova in Eastern Europe who are in Maine this month for a three-week training program will visit, tour and job shadow at Martin's Point Health Care on Monday, June 18.

The program is offered through Project Harmony, a group that sponsors international exchange and training programs in post-communist countries. The visit to Maine, from June 3 through June 24, is part of Project Harmony's "Community Connections" program, which is funded by a grant from the U.S. State Department.

"These individuals are highly qualified and will be seriously accepting the charge of this professional development program," said Dr. David Howes, president and chief medical officer of Portland-based Martin's Point, Maine's largest not-for-profit primary care practice.

[Note to media: To schedule an interview or photo of the Martin's Point tour with the Moldovan visitors, please call Dana Slone of Wolfe PR at 775-5115 or Amy Weinschenk of Martin's Point at 774-5801, ext. 1031. Thank you.]

Each of the participants was chosen from a large pool of applicants, using a merit-based selection process that was administrated by a U.S. non-governmental organization in Moldova. During their time in Maine, they will be learning about health care administration from their colleagues in Maine hospitals, doctors offices and public health departments.

"The goal is that they will closely examine aspects of health care delivery in Maine, and adapt some strategies and ideas to implement in their work at home," Howes added.

All of the participants are staying with host families, some of which are in the greater Portland area, providing a unique and important enhancement to the program.

Project Harmony, founded in 1985 in Vermont, is a not-for-profit group committed to empowering individuals to create healthier communities through international exchange and training programs. The group's diverse array of activities includes Internet training for non-profit leaders, community service opportunities for teen-agers, and seminars on political leadership for Russian women. For more information on Project Harmony, persons may visit its web site at http://www.projectharmony.org.

With headquarters in Portland at 331 Veranda St., Martin's Point is a not-for-profit health care organization with facilities in Portland, Brunswick and Windham, Maine, and in Portsmouth, N.H. It has a staff of more than 300 health care professionals and serves 50,000 patients under all major health plans and insurance, including HealthSource, Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Harvard Community Health Plan, Aetna, Maine Partners, Cigna, Anthem, Champus and Tricare plans.

Established in 1981, Martin's Point serves patients in the areas of family practice, internal medicine, pediatrics, surgery, radiology, cardiology, mammography and other fields. Martin's Point is accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, the nation's predominant standards setting and accrediting body in health care. For additional information, visit online at http://www.martinspoint.org.

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