CARIBOU, Maine — Gregg Collins, of Caribou, was named the new chairman of the board of directors at Cary Medical Center on Jan. 13 during the organization’s regular monthly board meeting. Collins, who is part owner and vice president of the S. W. Collins Company, had high praise for David Sleeper who has completed his term as board chair.
“All of us on the board of directors appreciate the great work that David has done over these past two years and we look forward to his continued service as a member of the board. David has the unique opportunity to be a ‘sounding board’ for the hospital because of his work with the public at Sleeper’s,” Collins said. “David brings feedback, both the positive comments and things we could improve on, to the attention of both the board and the administrative leadership of Cary Medical Center.” Collins presented Sleeper with a special collage of the hospital designed by Medway artist and designer, John Hafford. The plaque read in part, “Presented to David Sleeper for his Dedicated Service to Cary Medical Center as Chairman of the Board of Directors.”
In accepting his role as the new board chairman, Collins pointed out that it is a time of great change, challenge and opportunity in health care.
“We are really entering a new era in health care with the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, advancing technology and the concerns about health care costs,” said Collins, who has served on the Cary board since 2008. “We are very fortunate to have an outstanding hospital here in Caribou and working with Pines Health Services we have a great opportunity to deliver exceptional care to patients throughout northern Maine.”
Kris Doody, RN and CEO at Cary Medical Center said that Collins will continue a tradition of strong leadership for the hospital board.
“I am very pleased to have Gregg as our new board chair,” said Doody, who is an ex-officio member of the Cary board as hospital CEO. “Gregg brings a wealth of experience in business management, he has been very engaged in multiple leadership roles in the County and, having served on the board over the past five years, he understands some of the challenges we are facing with reductions in reimbursement, high costs of technology, and the changes being brought about by the Affordable Care Act,” she added. “I am also very grateful for the outstanding leadership that David Sleeper has provided during his tenure as board chair over the past two years.”
Collins comes to his leadership role at an exciting time for Cary Medical Center. The hospital has recently opened a new, state-of-the-art Women’s Imaging Center and the new Pines Center for Orthopedics and Sports Medicine. The hospital is also celebrating its 90th anniversary in 2014 and has had recent success in physician recruitment.
“This is a very exciting time for Cary,” remarked Collins. “We are marking a very significant milestone with 90 years of service to the community. We have also added three exceptional physician specialists to the medical staff at Cary and Pines, two oncologists and a second full-time orthopedic surgeon. These physicians will expand services and increase the opportunity for patients to receive exceptional care close to home which is a major goal for the hospital and the Board of Directors.”
The new physicians include hematologist, oncologists Dr. Allan Espinosa and Dr. Nadia Rajack whose offices are located at Cary Medical Center and Orthopedic Surgeon, Dr. Mark Perlmutter.
Dr. Perlmutter is Fellowship trained in hand surgery and specializes in Upper Extremity Orthopedic Care as well as general orthopedics. Dr. Perlmutter will join Dr. Jean Pierre Michaud in the new Pines Center for Orthopedics and Sports Medicine on the Cary campus.
