ELLSWORTH, Maine — Monday was an exciting day at Northern Light Maine Coast Hospital as it celebrated the opening of the Dixon Family Birthing Center.
The center will offer four private suites for combined labor, delivery, and recovery—a big change from the old birthing wing built in the 1960s. The old wing required patients to move from room to room during their stay.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony was part of the hospital’s “Building on a Promise” campaign, which also includes upgrades to the medical and surgical units.
Those at the hospital say the new space is the first of many improvements to Maine Coast Hospital, including the hospital providing private rooms to every patient.
“We often say that you are at your most vulnerable when you are in a hospital and when you are talking to your doctors and caregivers about the care that you are going to get, the treatment plans, it is often uncomfortable when somebody is in what we call the ''a' bed' and somebody is in what we call the ''b' bed,'" President of Maine Coast Hospital John Ronan said.
The Dixon Family Birthing Center is set to start seeing patients on Jan. 10.
