Obesity expert Voisine appointed Associate CMO at Community Health Options

Rodney J. Voisine, MD, has been appointed associate chief medical officer at Community Health Options, Maine’s first nonprofit consumer-operated and oriented health insurance plan, according to a news release from the organization.

Voisine will support the chief medical officer as associate chief, according to the release. Board-certified in obesity medicine, he specializes in healthy weight loss and medical optimization of overweight people before elective surgery.

Voisine, who practices in Augusta and South Portland, is also going to be part of a national panel on obesity this fall.

The meeting, in Washington, D.C., from Sept. 30 to Oct. 4, and Voisine will be the featured speaker on “Pre-habilitation and Medical Optimization for the Surgical Patient: The Role of the Obesity Specialist.”

“Weight loss should not be difficult. By following evidence-based and scientifically sound practices, we focus on the causes of obesity and introduce tools to help people keep the weight off and enjoy a healthier, more vibrant life,” he said in the news release.

The ASBP conference, Overcoming Obesity 2015, is designed to educate clinicians from around the world on topics related to current and emerging scientific research, evidence-based treatment approaches, technologies, and clinical and practical methods used by clinicians in the field of obesity medicine.

Voisine is board certified by the American Board of Obesity Medicine and the American Board of Anesthesiology and specializes in medical weight loss with emphasis on long-term weight control. His expertise includes not only medically supervised weight loss, but management of weight-related medical problems.

Nurse practitioner Alexis joins Franklin Health Behavioral Services

Suzanne Alexis, NP, has joined the staff of Franklin Health Behavioral Services in Farmington. Other providers in the practice include psychiatrist Arthur Dingley, DO; nurse practitioner Rebecca Chandler, APRN; and social worker Deborah Clague, LCSW.

Alexis will be responsible for psychiatric assessments and evaluations of adolescents and adults, medication management, and therapeutic mental health counseling, according to a news release from Franklin Health. She will provide services in Farmington.

Alexis is a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner who received a master’s degree in nursing from the University of Southern Maine. While there, she completed two long-term clinical practicums with Maine Behavioral Healthcare in Biddeford and Springvale, providing advanced psychiatric mental health care for individuals of all ages, as well as families.

Before going to graduate school Alexis served as a children’s targeted case manager at Maine Behavioral Healthcare in Portland for four years. While there she received commendation for excellence in collaboration with the legal system for youth in drug court.

Franklin Health Behavioral Services is in the Blue Health Center next to Franklin Memorial Hospital, and offers mental health and medication management. Outpatient services are also provided at the Androscoggin Valley Medical Arts Center on Main Street in Livermore Falls.

Coates joins Livermore Falls Family Practice

Physician Assistant Lenia Coates, PA-C, recently joined the Franklin Memorial Hospital medical staff as a provider at Franklin Health Livermore Falls Family Practice. Other providers in the practice are Heidi Decker, MD, and Mary Dunlap, FNP.

Coates has 14 years experience as a physician assistant, providing care for patients since 2001. Most recently, she provided pediatric and adult emergency medicine at Munroe Regional Medical Center in Ocala, Florida, treating a wide variety of acute illnesses, according to a news release from the practice.

Coates received a master’s degree in physician assistant studies from the University of New England in Biddeford.

Coates and her husband, Steven, live in Livermore Falls with their three daughters.

Franklin Health Livermore Falls Family Practice is in the Androscoggin Valley Medical Arts Center at 21 Main St., in Livermore Falls, where patients can also access outpatient specialty care, and laboratory and imaging services.

Camden National hosts Redzone Wireless in Waterville ribbon cutting

Camden National Bank hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony at the company’s Waterville branch on Aug. 11 to help introduce and launch Redzone’s services in the greater Waterville area. Attended by the Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce, representatives from the Central Maine Growth Council, and State Rep. John Picchiotti, R-Fairfield, the ribbon cutting served as an opportunity to welcome the Camden-based broadband Internet service provider to the central Maine area, according to a news release from the bank.

Redzone is delivering wireless high-speed Internet service around the state by installing its equipment on existing cell towers. In June, the company announced plans to expand its network to 15 communities by the end of this year and to service 90 percent of Mainers by 2017, according to the release.

The bank also announced it has donated a total of $20,000 to more than 30 homeless shelters across the state and has helped raise awareness around the issue of homelessness in Maine through it’s Home@Home program. Through the community-based, statewide program, for every home Camden National Bank finances, $100 is donated to a homeless shelter in the community of the new homeowner, and in the homeowner’s name. Of the total amount donated so far, the counties receiving the largest percentage of the money include Hancock County with 22 percent, Knox County with 20 percent, Penobscot County with 12 percent, and Piscataquis County with 12 percent.

Whitefield’s Aunt Gin’s restaurant holds ribbon cutting

A ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the grand opening of Aunt Gin’s restaurant was held Aug. 12. Opening remarks were given by Kennebec Valley Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Ross Cunningham, according to a news release from the restaurant.

Owner Steven Dumas also owns Steven Dumas Catering. The restaurant, featuring good home cooking, is on Route 17 in Whitefield.

The restaurant treated a large gathering of friends and fellow chamber members to a barbeque at the event.

Sustain Mid-Maine looking for solar power bulk purchase participants

Sustain Mid-Maine Coalition is developing an RFP to do a large group purchase of Solar Photo Voltaic Systems for the mid-maine region.

The Solarize Mid-Maine Program is open to all residential and most small business properties. It will include site evaluation, licensing and permitting, equipment and connection to Central Maine Power, according to a news release from the group.

The program will take the buying power of all its participants to secure a discounted equipment and installation price, the release said. Participants will receive a 30 percent federal tax credit, a reduction in monthly electric bills, up to an additional 10 percent discount on normal equipment and installation prices while reducing the carbon footprint.

An informational meeting will be held 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 16, in room 141 in the Diamond Building at Colby College.

Compiled from contributed releases