Farmington pharmacist named to health board

Maria-Ausilia Evans, a pharmacist at Franklin Memorial Hospital in Farmington, has been elected to the 11-member board of directors of the Maine Society of Health-System Pharmacists.

Evans is the Region 2 director representing Androscoggin, Franklin, Oxford and Sagadahoc counties. She has been a member of the nonprofit organization since 2009.

The society’s leading goal in 2016 is to attain “provider” status, and it is working closely with the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists and the Maine Pharmacy Association to accomplish this, according to a news release from the organization.

Becoming a provider means pharmacists can participate in Part B of the Medicare program and bill Medicare for services that are within their state scope of practice to perform.

Evans earned a doctor of pharmacy degree in 2013 from the University of New England College of Pharmacy. A resident of Carrabassett Valley, she has been a pharmacist at the hospital since May 2014.

Social worker joins Franklin Health clinical staff

Franklin Health Farmington Family Practice has announced that Brent Laflin, a licensed clinical social worker, has joined its clinical staff to provide behavioral health services for patients.

Having clinical social workers alongside health care providers is a new integrated model being used at all four Franklin Health primary care medical practices, according to a news release from the practice. Social workers deliver behavioral health services on the spot — rather than by referral — providing immediate assessment and diagnosis and brief solution-based therapy for patients of all ages. They also provide patient education and support and complete referrals to case management and other services as needed.

Laflin received his master’s degree in social work in 2010 at the University of Maine. He earned his bachelor of fine arts degree with honors from the University of Southern Maine in 1993. Laflin has extensive experience providing outpatient therapy and case management services.

Norton promoted to operations officer at Kennebec Savings Bank

Jessica Norton has been promoted to operations officer at Kennebec Savings Bank, according to President and CEO Andrew Silsby in a news release.

She will oversee the bank’s branch operations, items processing and customer care departments and have overall responsibility for the daily operations of the bank’s core operating system. Norton also will continue to support and enhance the systems that each of the bank’s branches use to operate on a daily basis.

Norton has been with the bank since 2012, when she joined as the branch operations and items processing manager. She recently completed accredited automated clearinghouse professional certification, becoming one of only 230 professionals with this designation in New England.

Norton is a graduate of Husson University. She earned a master’s degree in business administration from Thomas College. She completed the Kennebec Leadership Institute in May 2015.

Skowhegan Savings foundation donates $10,000 to health center

Skowhegan Savings Charitable Foundation has donated $10,000 to Madison Area Health Center to help fund the purchase and installation of a generator to back up patient electronic medical records, according to a news release from HealthReach.

The generator will assure the ability to offer uninterrupted health care in the event of a power emergency, according to the release.

Jack Ducharme, AVP regional branch manager, and Dan Tilton, SVP of sales and customer service, were on hand last week at the health center to present a check to Connie Coggins, president and CEO of HealthReach Community Health Centers, and Colleen Cyr, practice manager at the health center.

HealthReach Community Health Centers began implementing an EMR system across its network of 11 practices, including Madison, in July 2007. EMR technology gives medical providers better access to patient data and charts, according to the release.

Skowhegan Savings’ Charitable Foundation makes donations to large and small local nonprofit charitable organizations with a focus on financial literacy, economic and community development initiatives that promote job creation, business retention, business growth, and community enhancement.

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