News
We are pleased to announce Benjamin P. Smith, MD will be commencing employment with CMA on September 7, 2011.
Dr. Smith recently completed his Fellowship in Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine at the University of Utah Hospitals in Salt Lake City, Utah. He also participated in ongoing research involving pulmonary arterial hypertension.
We are pleased to announce the recent opening of the Maine Sleep Center
Chest Medicine Associates is pleased to announce the recent opening of the Maine Sleep Center, a state-of-the-art facility for the diagnosis and management of sleep disorders, such as obstructive sleep apnea, insomnia, restless legs syndrome, narcolepsy, and parasomnias (such as sleepwalking).
The Maine Sleep Center at Chest Medicine Associates is conveniently located at 100 Foden Road in South Portland. The sleep study rooms have a quiet, comfortable, and home-like bedroom environment with a flat panel television, nightstand, dresser and recliner. The facility provides spacious bathrooms and shower facilities. Our staff includes registered polysomographic technologsists who will help orient you to the facility and monitor you during your sleep study.
In addition to our sleep testing facility, the Maine Sleep Center provides an individualized, comprehensive approach to the care of patients with complex sleep disorders--from diagnosis to long-term care--under the direction of physicians who are board-certified in sleep medicine.
CMA announces the availability of bronchial thermoplasty, a non-drug procedure for treatment of severe persistent asthma
Bronchial thermoplasty is a non-drug procedure for treatment of severe persistent asthma in patients 18 years and older whose asthma is not well-controlled with standard medical therapy. Bronchial thermoplasty is a minimally invasive, outpatient bronchoscopic procedure that delivers thermal energy to the airways walls to reduce airway smooth muscle. This procedure can reduce the frequency of asthma attacks, provide long-lasting asthma control, and improve quality of life in patients with severe asthma.
Thermoplasty is performed in three outpatient procedure visits, each treating a different area of the lungs. The procedures are scheduled about three weeks apart. After all three procedures are performed, the bronchial thermoplasty treatment is complete. Bronchial thermoplasty is typically performed under moderate sedation, and the patient usually goes home the same day.
For more information about the bronchial thermoplasty procedure, please visit www.BTforAsthma.com or www.bronchialthermoplasty.com
We are pleased to announce Mayuko Fukunaga, MD will be commencing employment with CMA on July 1, 2010.
Dr. Fukunaga has most recently been practicing at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York and has a particular interest in advanced procedures.
CMA is pleased to announce Elizabeth A. Mueller, PA-C will be commencing employment with CMA on March 1, 2010.
Ms. Mueller was most recently employed by Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. While at Brigham and Women's, she engaged in internal medicine and transplant-related care for inpatients status-post lung and kidney transplants. At CMA, she will be coordinating and managing the PAH program under the direction of Dr. Wirth, and also providing outpatient care to established OSA, Asthma and COPD patients.
CMA Welcomes Dr. Stephen Gorman, DO & Dr. Isabella Stumpf to the practice
Chest Medicine Associates welcomes Dr. Stephen R. Gorman, DO and Dr. Isabella N. Stumpf, DO from Mercy Hospital in Portland to our practice. Dr. Gorman earned his medical degree from the University Of New England College Of Osteopathic Medicine and completed his residency in Internal Medicine at Maine Medical Center. He completed a fellowship in Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine at the Lahey Clinic Medical Center. He holds certification from the American Board of Internal Medicine in Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Diseases, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine. Dr. Gorman is also certified by the American Board of Sleep Medicine and is one of only a few certified sleep specialists in Southern Maine. He is a Fellow of the American College of Chest Physicians.
Dr. Stumpf commenced her medical education at the University of Heidelberg and earned her medical degree from the University Of New England College Of Osteopathic Medicine. She completed her residency at Maine Medical Center in 2002; there she served as the Chief Resident in Internal Medicine. She completed a fellowship in Pulmonary and Critical Care at Maine Medical Center in 2005. She also completed additional training in Interventional Pulmonology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School. She holds a certification from the American Board of Internal Medicine and is board eligible for subspecialty certifications in pulmonary and critical care medicine.
If you would like your patient to be evaluated for a breathing problem, sleep disorder or management of other lung disease, appointments with Drs. Stumpf and Gorman can be arranged by calling Chest Medicine Associates 207.828.1122.
CMA has moved to an expanded facility in South Portland
The month of February has been a busy one for CMA as we have moved our outpatient offices from 335 Brighton Avenue in Portland to 100 Foden Road in South Portland. Construction has been completed (see below) on the expanded facility and patients can expect to see a much larger facility with plenty of parking. The new facility will accomodate not only more office space for current operations but allow for growth of new services that are anticipated within the next year.
CMA is working on LEED certified commercial interiors project
Chest Medicine Associates has completed construction on the interior of the new office space with a 'green' state of mind. In keeping with the LEED ® Commercial Interior Rating standards, the new facility will provide for a productive workplace which is less costly to operate and maintain, has a reduced environmental footprint, and supports a healthy environment for employees and patients.
CMA Offers Free Sleep Heath Screenings During National Sleep Awareness Week
Chest Medicine Associates is offering free, one-minute Sleep Health Screenings in honor of National Sleep Awareness Week, a nationwide program sponsored by the National Sleep Foundation from March 1-8, 2009. During this campaign for sleep health, screenings will be held daily at the Maine Mail in South Portland, Maine, from Sunday, March 1, through Sunday, March 8, and will consist of a 4-question survey administered buy a qualified clinician. Participants will be given a copy of the completed questionnaire to bring to their doctor or a recommended specialist. Every participant that completes the screening will be entered to win an iPod.
NSF Conference to Kick Off National Sleep Awareness Week
The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) will kick off National Sleep Awareness Week (March 1-8, 2009) by hosting a scientific conference and leadership summit. The conference, titled Pain and Sleep: A Clinical and Scientific Conference, and the Sleep Care Leadership Summit will take place March 1-2, 2009, at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Md. Pain and Sleep: A Clinical and Scientific Conference is a CME course that will explore the interaction between pain and sleep, methods used in pain and sleep assessment, management of pain and sleep, and future avenues in pain and sleep research to improve care.
Read more at Sleep Review Magazine
Maine Sleep Awareness Month – March
Millions of Americans suffer from sleep disorders and problems related to pain, stress, anxiety and depression. Based on alarming statistics uncovered by national and state research, Governor John Baldacci of the State of Maine declared March as the annual observance of Maine Sleep Awareness Month. He urges all residents of the State to recognize the dangers of deprivation, sleep apnea, and other sleep problems, and to take action to improve the health, safety and quality of life for themselves and their families.
For more information, visit the National Sleep Foundation
CDC Study Reveals Adults May Not Get Enough Rest or Sleep
About 10 percent of adults report not getting enough rest or sleep every day in the past month, according to a new four-state study released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention′s (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Nationwide, an estimated 50 to 70 million people suffer from chronic sleep loss and sleep disorders. Sleep loss is associated with health problems, including obesity, depression, and certain risk behaviors, including cigarette smoking, physical inactivity, and heavy drinking.
George Bokinsky, MD, Notes Sleep Problems Exact Economic Toll
Many Mainers suffer from some type of sleep disorder, according to George Bokinsky, MD, Medical Director of the Maine Sleep Institute at Maine Medical Center in Portland. Insomnia, the most common sleep disorder, is marked by trouble falling asleep, waking too early, or being unable to fall back asleep. He notes that sleep problems exact a huge economic toll, from sleep-deprived workers who are unproductive or make mistakes on the job to auto or truck drivers who fall asleep at the wheel and cause traffic accidents and injuries.
Dr. Bokinsky offers some simple tips to individuals who have problems getting enough sleep: "Set a regular bed and wakeup time and stick to it, first and foremost. Try to relax before going to bed, maybe with a hot bath, reading a book, or listening to some soothing music. Create an environment that is dark, comfortable, and cool. And cut down on the distractions by taking the TV and computer out of the bedroom."
For more information on Dr. Bokinsky, visit the Maine Sleep Institute
Some Cholesterol Medications Affect Quality of Sleep
A report by the American Heart Association revelated that a cholesterol-lowering drug appears to disrupt sleep patterns of some patients, researchers found. A report presented at a recent AHA meeting find s that the statin Zocor disrupts sleep patterns in some users. According to Dr. Sidney Smith, director of the Center for Cardiovascular Science and Medicine at the University of North Caroline School of Medicine, “The study suggest that simvastatin (Zocor) is more likely to have sleep disruption. The extent to which this would be a significant problem for patients is uncertain, but this should raise awareness that symptoms could be related to therapy.”
To read more, visit the American Heart Association
Chest Medicine Associates Hires Nurse Practitioner
Chest Medicine Associates has appointed a new nurse practitioner, Lauren Brown. Brown, a board certified Adult Nurse Practitioner, has been practicing since 1994 with a Masters in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine. She comes to CMA after working in a variety of areas, including HIV, College Health and Women's Health.
Chest Medicine Associates Sponsors the 22nd Annual Kjeldgaard Days Symposium
On Wednesday, October 15, 2008, Chest Medicine Associates sponsored the 22nd Annual Kjeldgaard Days Symposium “Neurological Care” Conference at Maine Medical Center. The event welcomed five presenters from around the country, including Stephen A. Mayer, M.D. and Jan Claassen, M.D. from New York Presbyterian.
Morning and afternoon sessions were held on a variety of topics related to the management, care and treatment of neurological conditions. This annual event was established in 1986 and is dedicated to the memory of J. Mark Kjeldgaard, M.D., former Director of the Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine.