One-on-one asthma education. We focus on asthma education one-on-one with patients and their families, providing healthcare center support, and tracking the outcomes of our patients. The goal of our asthma education is to teach self-management skills.
Empowering patients. We prepare the patient and also the family to be an active partner in treatment. This is accomplished by delivering consistent, focused messages about healthy lifestyles and proper use and understanding of asthma devices and tools. Within the healthcare setting, we also provide updates and trainings for providers and staff based on the National Heart Lung Blood Institute asthma guidelines.
Community awareness. We support schools, pharmacies and childcare centers. This wide ranging approach allows patients to further understand asthma, better communicate with health providers, and be better supported within the community through awareness. Through this collaborative effort we have been able to consistently demonstrate improved outcomes with direct and indirect cost reductions to our patients and families and our healthcare systems.

Contact:
Rhonda Vosmus, RRT, AE-C
207-661-3000 or 1-855-300-8702
vosmur@mmc.org
www.mainehealth.org/asthma

Let’s Go!

Let’s Go! is a nationally recognized childhood obesity prevention program. Our goal is to increase physical activity and healthy eating for children from birth to 18 through policy and environmental change. Let’s Go! has six programs, otherwise known as sectors, to reach families where they live, learn, work and play to reinforce the importance of healthy eating and physical activity.

The 5210 message is used consistently across all sectors. This consistent message is an important part of our strategy in helping people make healthy eating and physical activity choices.

Contact:
Call: (207) 662-3734
Email: info@letsgo.org
Website: Visit www.letsgo.org for parent handouts and other resources.

Lifeline Workplace Wellness Program

The Lifeline Workplace Wellness Program is MMC’s external worksite wellness provider. It offers a menu of onsite wellness services for employers, ranging from consulting to biometric screenings. Lifeline also administers the Southern Maine Wellness Council. This membership supported organization provides networking opportunities, access to wellness resources and professional development via seminars, webinars and certificate courses.

Contact:
Tom Downing, Director
Email: downit@mmc.org
Call: (207) 781-1545
Website: www.mmc.org/lifelinewellness

MaineHealth Learning Resource Center

Learning what you need to know to be healthy isn't always easy. How do you find information and resources you can trust? The MaineHealth Learning Resource Center is here to help. Each location has a health educator who can help you find out what you need to know.

Whom do we help?
We help anyone who needs health information. Patients who want to learn about a disease, condition or treatment. Community members who need healthy living tips and resources and healthcare providers looking for health education materials and resources

Our services:

Health education classes
Free library of health books, brochures and videos
Search our library online
Personalized help from health educators to find out what you need to know
Public computers to search the Internet for health information
Outreach programs to improve the health of Maine communities

Contact:
Call: 1-866-609-5183
Email: learningcenter@mainehealth.org
Website: http://www.mainehealth.org/LRC

Take Charge!

Take Charge! is a community and worksite-based cardiovascular risk reduction screening program. Created by physicians, Take Charge! helps participants improve their heart health and educate them on their personal cardiac risk factors. When working with employers, Take Charge! screenings help keep productivity up, while keeping health insurance down. Take Charge is an easy, fast, cost effective, confidential and comprehensive program. We are one of the only screening programs in Maine that, with permission of the participant, sends results directly to primary care physicians – making it an added benefit for participants.

Contact:
Mindy Beyer RN, BSN
Call: (207) 661-7204
Email: takecharge@mmc.org
Website: http://www.maineheartcenter.org

MMC Inpatient Tobacco Treatment Program

MMC offers comprehensive treatment services for adult inpatients who are smokers or tobacco users. All patients are asked about tobacco use on admission and patients who use tobacco are offered education and treatment. The Tobacco Treatment Specialist works individually with patients to tailor care to each patient’s unique needs. Patients interested in quitting or learning more about how to quit receive counseling and referrals for follow up after discharge. Tobacco Treatment Specialists that are Nurse Practitioners discuss the most effective tobacco treatment medications and work to build a plan for inpatient comfort and use in the outpatient setting as clinically appropriate. Within one month after discharge, a registered nurse places a follow up call with patients to inquire about their status and progress.

This program offers an important service for some of the most high risk patients who are often admitted with chronic or life threatening, tobacco-related illness where the importance of smoking cessation can not be overemphasized.

The Tobacco Treatment service follows the evidence outlined in the Public Health Service Guideline Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence, Clinical Practice Guideline

¹ Fiore M, Jaen C, Baker T, et al, United States. Tobacco Use and Dependence Guideline Panel. Treating tobacco use and dependence : 2008 update. 2008 update ed. Rockville, Md.: U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service; May 2008.

22 Bramhall Street | Portland, Maine 04102-3175 | (207) 662-0111