Saint Mary's Regional Medical Center (Maine)

Saint Mary's Regional Medical Center is a hospital at 93 Campus Avenue in Lewiston, Maine adjacent to Bates College. It is part of a complex of care facilities now operated by Covenant Health Systems, a Roman Catholic non-profit organization based in Massachusetts. The hospital has 233 beds. It was founded in 1888 by the Grey Nuns, and has been a major provider of emergency health services in the Lewiston-Auburn area since.

Saint Mary's Regional Medical Center (Maine)
Covenant Health Systems
Geography
LocationLewiston, Maine, United States
Services
Emergency departmentYes
Beds233
History
Opened1888 (1888)
Links
Websitehttp://www.stmarysmaine.com
ListsHospitals in Maine
Other links
Saint Mary's General Hospital
St. Mary's Hospital from ca. 1900 postcard
Location93 Campus Ave., Lewiston, Maine
Coordinates44°6′3″N 70°12′2″W
Built1902
ArchitectMiller, William R.; Charland, Father Paul
Architectural styleLate Gothic Revival
NRHP reference No.87002191 [1]
Added to NRHPDecember 30, 1987

Campus

The medical center is located just south of the Bates College campus, and occupies a triangular lot bounded by Campus Avenue and Golder and Sabattus Streets. Separating the medical center from the campus is St. Mary's d'Youville Pavilion, a senior care facility also operated by Covenant Health. Access to the hospital is via a circular drive on Sabattus Street. The facility's largest buildings are the result of expansion in the 1960s in 1970s.

History

The hospital was founded in June 1888 by the Sisters of Charity of St. Hyacinthe, and was the first Catholic-run hospital in the state. The sisters originally converted the Sarah J. Golder house into a 30-bed hospital and orphanage. Saint Mary's hospital was also known as the Sister's Hospital, the French Hospital, or the Catholic Hospital. The first purpose-built hospital building was constructed in 1902. This Late Gothic Revival building was designed by Lewiston architect William R. Miller, and still forms part of the facility today. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987 for its architecture and historical significance.[2][3]

Wall of Shame

In October 2019, an investigation by the Maine Human Rights Commission found that employees of Saint Mary's Regional Medical Center created a 'wall of shame' displaying confidential medical records of patients with disabilities.[4] The commission found that the employees displayed confidential medical records of patients with disabilities detailing issues with their genitalia, body odor and bodily functions (urination and defecation), and that the exhibit had contributed to a hostile work environment. The wall of shame was displayed from June 2015-January 2017.[5] On October 3, 2019, Covenant Health President and CEO Stephen Grubbs and St. Mary's Health System President Steven Jorgensen released a statement saying, 'St. Mary's apologizes for employees' 'wall of shame' that showed confidential medical information. Covenant Health and St. Mary’s Health System does not tolerate or condone discrimination or harassment of any kind, for any reason. ... We sincerely apologize.' [6]

COVID-19 Pandemic

On April 3, 2020, the Portland Press Herald reported that St. Mary's was "requiring employees to use their own sick or vacation time" if they need to be quarantined for 14 days after coronavirus exposure. By contrast, "Maine's two largest hospital systems are offering employer-paid leave if they need to be quarantined" for coronavirus exposure. St. Mary's spokesperson Jason Gould confirmed the hospital's leave policy as described in the report.[7] Three days after the report, St. Mary's president Steven Jorgensen reversed the policy and in a memo to hospital employees, stating that "employees who are quarantined for COVID-19 work-related exposure will now receive their 'regular pay' and that, 'employees who were previously quarantined and used earned time will have their earned time restored.'" [8]

See also

References
  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. January 23, 2007.
  2. St. Mary's Historical Information
  3. "NRHP nomination for Saint Mary's General Hospital". National Park Service. Retrieved 2016-06-05.
  4. Rhoda, Erin (2019-10-03). "Maine Human Rights Commission found that employees of St. Mary's Regional Medical Center in Lewiston created a 'wall of shame'". WAGM-TV. Retrieved 2019-10-03.
  5. Rhoda, Erin (2019-10-03). "St. Mary's hospital employees created a 'wall of shame' of patients with disabilities". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved 2019-10-03.
  6. Mannion, Mary Cate (2019-10-03). "St. Mary's apologizes for employees' 'wall of shame' that showed confidential medical information". WMTW. Retrieved 2019-10-03.
  7. Lawlor, Joe (2020-04-03). "At Lewiston hospital, quarantined staff must use own sick time". Portland Press Herald. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  8. Lawlor, Joe (2020-04-06). "Lewiston hospital revises coronavirus sick leave policy after criticism from employees". Portland Press Herald. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
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