Health Update: Expanding care close to home – What Experts Say

St. Mary’s is growing, evolving, and investing in expanded services to meet the health care needs of Maine today and in the years ahead. As a community hospital with deep roots in Androscoggin County, the organization is focused on ensuring patients can receive high-quality care close to home.

Care spans the entire lifespan, beginning with pediatric services for newborns and children and continuing through adulthood with an expanding network of primary and specialty providers. As new clinicians join the system, access to routine care, preventive services, and specialty expertise continues to grow across the region. For older adults seeking independence with support nearby, St. Mary’s Residences offers community living with convenient access to services. When medical support or rehabilitation is needed, d’Youville Pavilion provides one of the largest rehabilitation and long-term care programs in Maine, offering short-term rehabilitation, skilled nursing, and specialized memory care.

Support for individuals and families facing mental health and substance use challenges has expanded significantly in response to growing community needs, supported by the addition of clinicians across behavioral health disciplines. Services include inpatient behavioral health treatment, the Day Hospital Program for intensive outpatient care, and the Center for Recovery, which coordinates treatment for substance use disorders.

St. Mary’s Urgent Care offers convenient treatment for illnesses and injuries outside the emergency department, with wait times typically under 60 minutes. For more serious conditions, the Emergency Department provides full-service care for patients of all ages and holds Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation, reflecting specialized expertise in caring for older adults. A dedicated Behavioral Emergency Department ensures patients experiencing psychiatric or substance use crises receive specialized care in a safe, therapeutic setting.

Diagnostic and specialty services continue to expand locally as new providers and technologies are introduced. Full-service laboratory locations in Lewiston and Auburn make testing convenient, while a comprehensive imaging department provides ultrasound, CT scans, MRI, and 3D mammography. Sleep medicine services include both at-home and in-lab testing, along with advanced therapies such as the Inspire treatment for sleep apnea. Evaluation and treatment for vein and vascular conditions—from varicose veins to more complex circulation disorders—are also available close to home.

Advanced specialty programs include orthopedic care, with hip and knee replacement accreditation through DNV, demonstrating high standards for quality and safety. Surgical services feature upgraded operating rooms and a hybrid operating suite designed for complex procedures using advanced imaging technology. Expanded offerings include bariatric surgery, gynecologic surgery, and other minimally invasive procedures that support improved outcomes and recovery.

Rehabilitation services extend beyond the hospital through the Center for Physical Rehabilitation in Auburn, which features a large therapy gym and a team of physical, occupational, and speech therapists focused on restoring strength, mobility, and independence after injury or illness.

Across these services, coordinated care connects outpatient clinics, specialty practices, and hospital-based programs, helping reduce the need for patients to travel outside the region while supporting continuity of care.

To learn more about services and programs, visit stmarysmaine.com.

This article is sponsored by St. Mary’s Health System.