MDI Hospital Celebrates Grand Opening of Inpatient Care Unit

Nearly one hundred members of the community and staff celebrated the grand opening of Mount Desert Island Hospital’s new Colket Inpatient Care Center on Thursday, November 29. The event marked the latest phase of an overall modernization program, funded by a recently completed capital campaign.
 
Named for Ruth and Tristram Colket, who donated $1million to the campaign, the new Colket Inpatient Care Center provides spacious, modern facilities for MDI Hospital patients and visitors.
 
“Because of the generosity of Ruth and Tristram Colket, the Inpatient Care Center is a beautiful facility that will assist our staff in continuing to provide quality care today and in the years to come,” said Hospital President and CEO Art Blank in his remarks.
 
The new facility, which features private rooms for telemetry, critical care, and medical/surgical patients, as well as spacious rooms for patients undergoing short-term rehabilitation, is scheduled to receive its first patients in early January.
 
“The design of the Colket Inpatient Care Center will provide centralized nursing care, enabling our dedicated nursing staff to provide more efficient and personalized nursing care,” added Tom Mockus, R.N., Director of Medical and Rehab Services.
 
“High quality nursing care has always been the hallmark of our hospital and our new Inpatient Center will enhance and continue that tradition,” said Dr. Edward Gilmore, M.D. The Critical Care Unit of the new facility has been named in honor of Dr. Gilmore.
 
In his remarks, Dr. Gilmore paid respects to the late Patricia Raynes Jackson, a former nurse of his for whom the new nursing station was named.
 
“In 2003, a fund was established by family and friends of Patricia Raynes Jackson in her memory,” explained Dr. Gilmore.  “This fund helped to support this renovation project and will recognize her contribution to and love of the nursing profession.”
 
Board Chair Dean Read added words of appreciation for support from the business community. “We were very fortunate to have 36 members of our Business Community support the campaign, and I would like to take this opportunity to recognize them.” He added that, combined with strong support from hospital trustees, staff and the community, the campaign exceeded its original $2.5 million goal by $1.2 million.
 
“Many of you here tonight were instrumental in making the Special Gifts Campaign such a success,” said Blank. “With your support, we will be able to continue our tradition of award-winning care long into the future.”