On Course

A Message from Julian Kuffler, MD, MPH President of the Mount Desert Island Hospital Medical StaffTime spent on the water is important to me. So this year’s annualreport theme, On Course, has special meaning. It reflects the role ofour new Mission and Vision statements, which, like a compass, guidethe MDI Hospital organization as we move toward exciting new horizons.In this report you’ll see how we fulfill our Mission through stories thatare both heart warming and inspiring. You’ll learn about a gentlemanwho, thanks to our new Straus Center, enjoys the company of friendsin a safe, stimulating environment during the day and returns to thecomfort of his own home and family in the evening.We tell the story of a local woman who stays young in her ninth decadeby taking part in our free, fun exercise program. We also show you howour medical imaging department is using state-of-the-art technology todiagnose conditions of the heart in a more patient-friendly way, and howan old tradition in health care, house calls, is alive and well here on MDI.A new approach that provides comprehensive care under one roof, andnew program that empowers and advances the profession of nursingare shining examples of our Vision. Finally, a patient who felt lost andalone found a friend in our Care ManagementDepartment who, through kindness and persistence,guided him to the care he needed.This report illustrates how we fulfill the different aspects of ourMission and Vision Statements. Taken as a whole, it also shows howwe are staying On Course for a healthy future.Mission StatementTo provide compassionate care and strengthen the health of ourcommunity by embracing tomorrow's methods and respectingtime-honored values.Vision StatementTo be our community’s medical home by pursuing innovative modelsthroughout the continuum of care. Our integrated system will be thestandard by which others are measured.1