Multispecialty Collaboration Advances Cardiac Care in Maine
Meeting the Challenges of Complex Cardiac Care
MaineHealth Maine Medical Center Portland treats more cardiac surgical patients than any other institution in northern New England, with Spectrum Healthcare Partners’ Southern Anesthesiology division playing a vital role in providing essential care.
“We have seen a steady rise in the number of cases we do annually, we are performing increasingly complex surgical cases requiring multidisciplinary expertise and state-of-the-art technology, and we are caring for increasingly ill patients with significant cardiac and pulmonary disease processes,” explains Anne Hicks, MD, program director of the Adult Cardiac Anesthesiology Fellowship Program at MaineHealth Maine Medical Center Portland.
“In cardiac anesthesiology, patients are incredibly sick,” says William Boyd, MD, Spectrum anesthesiologist and chair of the department of anesthesiology and perioperative medicine at MaineHealth Maine Medical Center Portland. “Getting them through those processes is incredibly gratifying because of the extreme illness and how tenuous the situations can be.”
The procedures are far more complex since cardiac surgery patients are generally much sicker than the general surgery population. “It requires a special skill set, good communication, and close collaboration with our surgical colleagues,” says Corey Spiro, MD, Spectrum anesthesiologist and division director of cardiac anesthesia at MaineHealth Maine Medical Center Portland.
Providing the right level of care also requires proper space. “In the older ICU, patient care needs were literally spilling into the hallway,” says Benjamin Levin, MD, the director of critical care anesthesia at MaineHealth Maine Medical Center Portland. “This made it difficult to provide the level of service and quality of care that both patients and their families deserved.”
Expanded Space for Care and Collaboration
On June 9, 2024, MaineHealth Maine Medical Center Portland began admitting patients to its new 300,000-square-foot Malone Family Tower.
“This facility provides the space necessary for high-level, multidisciplinary cardiac surgical care,” says Dr. Hicks. “With state-of- the-art equipment, we can perform everything from routine open-heart surgeries to complex mechanical circulatory support implantations for critically ill patients.”
“Our ability to manage these patients has improved significantly, both in capacity and quality of care,” adds Dr. Levin. “With the expanded ICU, we can accommodate more patients without facing space limitations to continue delivering top-tier care to everyone.”
Achieving successful outcomes in cardiac care requires a highly coordinated team,” says Dr. Boyd. “Nursing, perfusion, cardiology, cardiac surgery, anesthesia, and their support staff all play critical roles in making it work.”
Delivering multidisciplinary care in the old facility was challenging, with cardiac services spread across multiple floors. “I used to climb nine flights of stairs several times a day,” recalls Dr. Levin. “Now, with all cardiac-related critical care in one location, we’re just one flight of stairs away. It’s completely transformed how we interact and how patients flow through the system.”
The expanded facility has significantly increased capacity and capability. “We’ve added 100 beds, 15 procedural sites, and six floors,” says Dr. Boyd. “It’s essentially a brand-new hospital dedicated to caring for the sickest patients in the region, equipped with the most modern facilities.”
The new universal care rooms can handle patients at any level of care, even as their needs evolve. The larger space also allows families to be more involved, providing essential support in the room.
The new layout fosters better collaboration among team members, too. “We were physically siloed in the old building, working in separate areas,” says Dr. Spiro. “Now, there’s a good chance we’ll run into someone from the cardiac team while grabbing coffee. These informal conversations about patients or sharing knowledge are incredibly valuable.”
The Future of Cardiovascular Care in Maine
From the new Malone Family Tower to emergency departments across the state, MaineHealth and Spectrum Healthcare Partners ensure patients receive the highest standard of cardiac care, no matter where they are.
Dr. Levin notes that Maine’s vast geography presents unique challenges for patients and providers. “Time is muscle,” he says. “The longer it takes for patients to receive care, the more heart muscle is at risk during a heart attack. In the past, we faced delays in getting patients to MaineHealth Maine Medical Center Portland as quickly as needed due to limited space. With the Malone Family Tower expansion, that’s improved significantly.”
This state-of-the-art facility represents the best in modern medicine and a highly skilled medical team. “I’m proud of the incredibly diverse but cohesive, talented group of physicians,” says Dr. Spiro. “I would put the care that we provide for some of the sickest patients in Maine up against what they do anywhere.” Dr. Boyd agrees, noting, “The Malone Family Tower is at the forefront of nationally leading cardiovascular care.”
The new facility has also raised the standard of care across the region. “The Malone Family Tower demonstrates MaineHealth’s commitment to delivering top-tier cardiac care to our community,” says Dr. Levin. “Our care now rivals the best in the country, and I’m confident we’ll continue to grow and attract outstanding professionals, ensuring the best possible care for our patients.”
Training the Next Generation of Cardiac Anesthesiologists
In addition to the collaboration on the Malone Family Tower, Spectrum physicians partner with MaineHealth Maine Medical Center Portland in various ways to advance cardiac care locally. One example is the Cardiac Anesthesiology Fellowship Program, which offers a unique opportunity to train the next generation of cardiac anesthesiologists in Maine.
“This program gives trainees the clinical and leadership skills they need to provide expert perioperative care (care surrounding and including the time of surgery) for patients undergoing procedures such as coronary artery bypass surgery, heart valve repair and replacement, transcatheter valve replacement, mechanical circulatory support implantation, thoracic aortic surgery, and congenital heart surgery,” says Anne Hicks, MD, Spectrum anesthesiologist and program director of the Adult Cardiac Anesthesiology Fellowship Program.
With just two fellows per year, the program ensures each trainee surpasses the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education minimum requirements for cardiac case experience and echocardiography exams.
“Our small class size allows fellows to tailor their clinical experiences to meet their individual learning goals,” adds Dr. Hicks. “From day one, fellows are an integral part of the team, and by the end of the year, they’ve become part of the MaineHealth MMC Cardiac Surgery family—a team that not only works tirelessly to deliver excellent patient care but also takes time to enjoy everything Portland has to offer.”
