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Maine's Millinocket Regional Hospital Begins Work On 14-Month Construction Upgrade

Millinocket Regional Hospital in Maine embarks on a $17 million, 14-month construction upgrade to expand and modernize its emergency department, aiming to enhance healthcare access for residents and tourists. Federal grants and community support aid funding. Upgrades to include more treatment rooms, improved patient care, and infection control measures.

Tue January 14, 2025 - Northeast Edition #3
Millinocket Regional Hospital & WABI-TV


Shutterstock photo/Panchenko Vladimir

The coming year is set to be one of reinvention for the Millinocket Regional Hospital (MRH) in Maine, as its officials held a groundbreaking on Dec. 31 to signify the start of their newest construction project.

The significant milestone marks the beginning of a transformative $17 million project that will enhance healthcare access and quality for the residents of the Katahdin Region of Maine and more than 250,000 tourists that visit the region annually, according to a MRH news release.

Over the next 14 months, A/Z Corp., a Connecticut contractor, will be renovating the hospital's main entrance and emergency department.

"Right now, we have five working bays, and we have enough room in the hallways for three or four more patients," explained Robert Peterson, MRH's chief executive officer of MRH, in speaking with WABI-TV in nearby Bangor. "But the new ER will have 10 working bays, all much larger than the bays we have now, [and] all private, and each room can be converted to either negative or positive air pressure to protect our patients and our staff from infection."

More than 80 percent of the project's cost is covered through federal grants and state approval, with only around $2 million more to raise, he said.

This impactful capital project was made possible through extensive grant funding and support from the Penobscot County Commissioners, Maine's two U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R) and Angus King (I), as well as the generous support of individuals.

Peterson explained that securing this funding is imperative to ensure patients receive top-of-the-line care, even in rural communities like Millinocket.

"We are 60 miles away from Houlton Hospital and another 40 miles-plus from Penobscot Valley," he added. "If a patient has a trauma situation here close to the hospital, that's too far for them to travel. They may not make it.

"We don't want to be a free-standing emergency department. We don't want to be Band-Aid station," Peterson continued. "We want to be a hospital that can meet the needs of any patient that comes on this campus or comes to us via ambulance."

Not only will the renovation benefit the hospital, Peterson noted, but he hopes that it sends the message of an economic upturn for Millinocket and the community's dedication to investing in their town after numerous area mill closures.

In early December, Millinocket Regional received final approval from the commissioner of the Maine Department of Health and Human Services to move forward with the expansion and renovation effort.

The new MRH upgrade will offer:

  • An enhanced patient experience as the new Emergency Department will provide a more comfortable and efficient space with updated facilities, increased capacity and reduced wait times for people needing care.
  • Specialized treatment rooms, including dedicated trauma, cardiac and behavioral health areas, ensuring optimal care for a wider range of patients.
  • A modern design that not only will incorporate rooms to guard against patients and staff contracting airborne pathogens, but a decontamination room, and a larger ambulance entrance to manage emergencies more safely and effectively.
ED Services to Continue During Construction

MRH is committed to providing exceptional healthcare services to the Millinocket community and beyond, Peterson noted, and the hospital's new Emergency Department is a testament to improving the health and well-being of patients.

"This is an exciting event in the rich history of MRH," he explained in the news release. "We are building a modernized facility capable of meeting the needs of the communities we serve for decades to come. It is an honor and a privilege to be part of something this meaningful and significant to the vitality of the Katahdin region."

The project will be completed in two phases.

The first will include the construction of a new main entrance and the expansion of the ED. During that time, emergency services will continue to be delivered in the current ED until the new construction is complete.

Once the work is finished, emergency operations will then move into the new space, the upgraded main entrance will open, and Phase Two — the renovation of the current emergency department — will begin. Upon its completion, the two sections will be joined together as a single modern unit, according to MRH officials.

Peterson acknowledged that the next year will not come without its challenges to parking and access but believes the completed project will be worth the temporary inconveniences.

During construction, patients will continue to have access to the hospital campus via Poplar, Somerset, and Spruce Streets; however, the main entrance to the hospital building will be temporarily closed. Visitors and patients accessing the ED, laboratory and diagnostic imaging should use the North entrance off Spruce Street. Clear signage will be posted throughout the campus to assist with wayfinding.




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