$3 Million for Cardiac Operating Rooms at Maine Medical Center Secured by Senator Collins
Washington, D.C.—U.S. Senator Susan Collins, a senior member of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, announced today that she secured $3,000,000 to construct and modernize operating rooms at Maine Medical Center. Senator Collins successfully pushed to include the funding in the Fiscal Year 2022 Health and Human Services Appropriations bill. Senator Collins visited Maine Medical Center last November to discuss the project.
The omnibus funding package passed the House and the Senate and now heads to the President’s desk to be signed into law.
“Maine Medical Center is on the cutting-edge of cardiovascular care,” said Senator Collins. “I strongly advocated for this funding, which will expand the number of state-of-the-art hybrid operating rooms at Maine Medical Center’s hospital in Portland. This investment will allow more Mainers to access minimally invasive and highly effective treatments for heart disease, coronary valve disease, and other cardiac issues.”
“Cardiovascular disease is one of the greatest health needs that we have identified in the communities we serve. Investing in Maine Medical Center’s cardiovascular procedural capacity directly benefits the patients we serve and provides our extraordinary care team with the advanced resources they need to continue delivering high-quality care,” said MMC President Jeff Sanders. “On behalf of Maine Medical Center, I want to thank Sen. Collins for her leadership and support in securing this investment in the health and wellbeing of Mainers.”
Maine Medical Center’s Cardiovascular Institute performs complex, minimally invasive heart surgeries known as Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) and MitraClip Percutaneous Mitral Valve Repair System (MitraClip). TAVR and MitraClip, as well as vascular surgeries such as aortic and thoracic aneurysm repair, require an operating environment that supports both advanced imaging as found in a cardiac catheterization lab and a sterile field as found in traditional operating rooms. The combination of these technologies form what is called a Hybrid Operating Room (Hybrid OR).
Maine Medical Center transformed an existing space into a cardiovascular hybrid operating room, and it is in the process of building four more in the Malone Family Tower. Maine Medical Center will use this funding to support the construction, modernization, and expansion of hybrid operating rooms in Portland.
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