AUGUSTA — Kennebec Historical Society will hold its December program, A History of Health Care in Kennebec Valley, at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 18, at Prescott Pavilion, 35 Medical Center Parkway.

Chuck Hays, of Manchester, chief executive officer of MaineGeneral Health, will talk about the evolution of healthcare facilities in Kennebec Valley, spanning more than 120 years of history and including insight on how health care is expected to change into the future. Hays recently oversaw the construction project of the Alfond Center for Health and the Thayer Center for Health. The system also includes physician practices, long-term care facilities with 269 long-term care beds, home care and a retirement community.

Health care facilities have changed greatly over time, and that is certainly the case in the Kennebec Valley. Augusta City Hospital, Gardiner General Hospital, Sisters Hospital — which later became Elizabeth Ann Seton Hospital — and Thayer Hospital, each have a rich history that is part of the fabric of their communities, according to a news release from the historical society.

Just this fall, MaineGeneral completed the consolidation project of inpatient services and more coordination of outpatient services. The Alfond Center for Health is a new hospital in Augusta; and the Thayer Center for Health has been transformed into a comprehensive outpatient center. This project builds on what came before, but represent important adaptations to the growing and changing health care needs of the population of the Kennebec Valley.

For more information, call 622-7718.


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.