Franklin Memorial’s mammography service attains accreditation

FARMINGTON — Franklin Memorial Hospital has been awarded a three-year term of accreditation in mammography as the result of a recent review by the American College of Radiology. Mammography is a specific type of imaging test that uses a low-dose X-ray system to examine breasts. A mammography examination, called a mammogram, is used to aid in the early detection and diagnosis of breast diseases in women.

The ACR gold seal of accreditation reflects the highest level of image quality and patient safety. It is awarded only to facilities meeting ACR Practice Parameters and Technical Standards after a peer-review evaluation by board-certified physicians and medical physicists who are experts in the field. Image quality, personnel qualifications, adequacy of facility equipment, quality control procedures and quality assurance programs are assessed. The findings are reported to the ACR Committee on Accreditation, which subsequently provides the practice with a comprehensive report that can be used for continuous practice improvement..

Gardiner Federal Credit Union awards $500 scholarships to six

The Gardiner Federal Credit Union Scholarship Committee has announced the winners of $3,000 in scholarships awarded recently.

Six scholarships, in the amount of $500 each, were made available to students who are pursuing post-secondary education or graduate degrees, according to a news release from the credit union.

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The winners of this year’s scholarships are Elijah Fish, from Gardiner Area High School; Julianne Spinney, Lincoln Academy; Hailey Jane Taker, Hall-Dale High School; Joshua D. Reed, Erskine Academy; Sydney Jane Cameron, Maranacook Area High School; and Haley Stevens, Cony High School.

To be considered for the scholarships, applicants had to complete the application process and submit two qualifying essays. They did not need to be credit union members, but they must have qualified for membership by living, working, worshiping or attending school in Kennebec County, Lincoln County, or in the towns of Palermo or Richmond.

The committee received 84 applications for the six scholarships.

Anesthesiologist Renaud joins Franklin Memorial Hospital medical staff

FARMINGTON — Dr. Christopher Renaud became a member of the medical staff at Franklin Memorial Hospital on July 5, joining Dr. James Lancaster, Dr. Heather DeCarolis, and Dr. Jay Neil in staffing the hospital’s anesthesiology services.

Anesthesiology is the practice of medicine dedicated to the relief of pain and total care of the surgical patient before, during, and after surgery.

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Renaud completed his medical degree in 2009 at the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine in Biddeford, then completed an anesthesiology residency at San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium at San Antonio Military Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston.

When Renaud went on active duty with the Army’s Medical Corps in 2013, he became staff anesthesiologist and medical director of anesthesiology services at Ireland Army Community Hospital in Fort Knox, Kentucky, for three years. He received numerous military awards, including the Army Meritorious Services Ribbon and the Army Achievement Medal.

Renaud resides in the Farmington area with his wife, Tina, and their three children.

Customers pick nonprofits that gain from Kennebec Savings donations

Kennebec Savings Bank recently completed a promotion to allow new customers to direct a $50 donation from the bank to the nonprofit of their choice, which will benefit dozens of area charitable organizations, according to a news release from the bank.

Last week at the bank’s branch in Farmingdale, five of those nonprofits received checks representing bank customer selections. Another 40 checks will be sent in the coming week.

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The five receiving checks last week included the Gardiner Library Association, Gardiner Main Street, Boys and Girls Club of Greater Gardiner, Chrysalis Place and Johnson Hall.

“Our customers identified forty-five different organizations to receive donations,” said bank president and CEO Andrew Silsby in the news release, “and the checks going out to them range from $50.00 up to $5,500.”

The complete list of recipients covers a broad range of social service and nonprofit organizations. In addition to the five highlighted, recipients also include small nonprofits, school booster clubs, fraternal lodges, health care and a host of other organizations.

Two doctors join staff at MaineGeneral Pulmonary

Dr. Akshu Balwan and Dr. Arun Ranganath have joined MaineGeneral Pulmonary, according to a news release from MaineGeneral Medical Center.

The two doctors specialize in a range of pulmonary procedures such as bronchoscopy and endobronchial ultrasound and critical care such as central line placement, critical care ultrasound, echocardiography and invasive cardiac monitoring.

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Balwan graduated from Maulana Azad Medical College in India. He completed residency training in internal medicine at Johns Hopkins University, Sinai Hospital of Baltimore, Maryland, and completed a fellowship in pulmonary and critical care medicine at Maine Medical Center. He is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in internal medicine and pulmonary medicine. Balwan will be the director of interventional pulmonary.

Ranganath received his medical degree at Mysore Medical College, in India, in 2001. He completed an internal medicine residency in 2009 at Berkshire Medical Center, in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. He is ABIM-certified in internal medicine and completed a fellowship in pulmonary and critical care medicine at Maine Medical Center. Dr. Ranganath joins MaineGeneral Pulmonary as medical director of CCU.

MaineGeneral Pulmonary is at the Alfond Center for Health in Augusta and the Thayer Center for Health in Waterville.

Compiled from contributed releases


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