Maine's healthcare delivery system is “incredibly vulnerable” a few years after Covid.
PORTLAND, Maine – Dr. Andy Mueller came to Maine during the Covid-19 pandemic to lead Main Health.
As president and CEO, Mueller brings a direct background in patient care to Maine's largest healthcare providers.
“I think one of the things that really matters to recognize is that Maine's healthcare delivery system is currently extremely vulnerable,” Mueller told News Center Maine in a recent interview.
“We maintain our noses above the water, which is not what most of the other health systems in the state are now,” Mueller continued.
Since the start of the pandemic, our healthcare industry has faced several major challenges.
“It hurts me when I know that there are patients who can't get in as timely as we want to get in. When patients should focus on their conditions, it bothers me when they emphasize their bill,” Mueller shared. “The other health systems in the state can't maintain themselves, and there's a gap between care and healthcare deserts, and I'm worried about how I'll fill that void. All of them keep me at night.”
Patients who have deferred care over the past few years are now sick and need more care. At the same time, Maine's population is aging and the number of healthcare workers has declined. Financial uncertainty regarding federal and state-level government programs creates another challenging layer.
Data collected by MaineHealth shows an increase in the number of people arriving in the emergency department and the number of people recognized for their condition. The number of people who need to stay in hospitals for more than 20 days has also been climbing since the start of the pandemic.
Britney Meunier is one of the registered nurses who work with patients every day at Main Health Main Medical Center in Portland. She was only five years since her career when the pandemic began.
The last time we saw Meunier was a video produced and distributed by MaineHealth, showing what's going on in the ICU during Covid. Wearing head-to-toe protective gear, Meunier recalled putting more patients in his body bag than he had thought in his entire career.
We spoke with Meunier to look back on healthcare life over the past five years.
“I don't know if I'll repeat it without crying, but it's still true. I was suffering from a 26-year-old patient and family, and it was fatal and suffering,” she said.
Meunier, working with incoming healthcare workers, says that the major takeaways over the past few years have made her appreciate the people around her.
“We are extremely grateful to our colleagues, our family, our patients who treated us with kindness and respect,” Meunier said.
Mueller also said violence against healthcare workers was a problem.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the areas of healthcare and social assistance saw the most workplace violence in 2021 and 2022, more than any other sector.
Healthcare Performance Solutions Company Pressgany reported that two nursing staff were assaulted hourly in the second quarter of 2022.
News Center Main + Streaming allows you to watch a full-length special “Life with Covid: In Maine in 5 Years After”. Download the streaming app to your TV and watch it for free.
