For Immediate Release
May 02, 2000

Contact:
Beryl Wolfe
(207) 775-5115
Web Site: http://www.martinspoint.org

PORTLAND, Maine ÷ Martin's Point Health Care, Maine's largest primary care practice, is set to undergo a major renovation at its Portland campus, which is situated within an historic cluster of buildings on the banks of Casco Bay.

The aim of the renovation is to improve efficiency and comfort for the growing number of patients at Martin's Point. The project will include a redesign of the health care facility and the addition of 48 parking spaces to the patient parking lot. An extension of the city-owned walking trail along the ocean also is planned.

The Martin's Point campus dates back to the 1700s. The building that now houses the Portland School Department originally served as a marine hospital. The present Martin's Point administration building, as well, was used as the living quarters for the surgeons, according to Candice Labrecque, the director of practice administration at Martin's Point.

The buildings have undergone a number of renovations over the years. This time, however, the focus is on the actual health center, which now houses well over three dozen family practice physicians, internal medicine physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants. With the new Martin's Point facility in Brunswick as a model, Labrecque said, the Portland building will be redesigned to have more open and organized check in, referral and check out stations. Also, the nurse's stations will be expanded to allow for better patient flow, and three more exam rooms will be added. The renovation will be accomplished without disrupting patient access and care, she said.

PDT Architects in Portland designed the renovation. Ledgewood Construction will serve as the general contractor. The pair also teamed up to build the Martin's Point facility in Brunswick, which opened a year ago in May.

"The design of our new Brunswick facility, which involved input from the doctors and nurses, has been so successful that we thought we'd apply those same principles of patient comfort and efficiency to our Portland clinic," said David H. Howes, M.D., president and chief medical officer of Martin's Point Health Care. "We're growing and all of our physicians are accepting new patients, so it became paramount that we use our space better in Portland."

Established in 1981, Martin's Point Health Care employs 290 healthcare professionals who serve 44,000 patients at clinics in Portland, Windham, Brunswick and Newington, N.H. Headquartered in Portland at 331 Veranda Street, Martin's Point accepts all major health plans and insurance, including but not limited to HealthSource, Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Harvard Community Health Plan, Maine Partners, Champus, Tricare, Aetna, Cigna and NYLCare Plans.

For more information about Martin's Point Health Care, please call Amy Weinschenk, director of communications, at 774-5801, extension 2231, or visit the Martin's Point website at www.martinspoint.org.

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