100th Anniversary of Cary Medical Center

Floor Speech

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Ms. COLLINS. Madam President, on September 5, 1924, a new hospital opened its doors in my hometown of Caribou, ME, and admitted its very first patient. Today, I join people throughout the region in celebrating a century of expert, compassionate care at Cary Medical Center.

It is fitting that this 100th anniversary coincides with Cary being named as one of the Nation's Top 100 Great Community Hospitals by Becker's Hospital Review. This latest addition to the long and impressive list of national awards and recognitions underscores what CEO Kris Doody said when that announcement was made this summer: ``Working at Cary Medical Center is not just a job. It's a calling.''

From the start, Cary has been a community hospital with the emphasis on ``community.'' It was built on the foundation laid by Dr. Jefferson Cary, a physician as devoted to the people of northern Maine as he was to the practice of medicine. He came to Caribou in 1877, a time when house calls, even in the frigid winter, were made by horse and buggy, medical supplies were scarce, and payment for services was often made with farm products and firewood rather than cash. His skill as a physician was matched, as a friend put it, by his ``untiring devotion to the cause of humanity.''

When Dr. Cary died in 1912, he left the bulk of his estate to Caribou. His bequest enabled the construction of the original hospital and created a legacy of generosity and support that the people of Caribou and the neighboring communities continue today.

The new Cary Medical Center, built in 1978, offered greatly expanded facilities and new technology, but the focus on patient-centered care remained unchanged.

Cary Medical Center is a nationally recognized leader in providing quality healthcare to rural veterans. Maine has one of the highest percentage of veterans in the country, and we Mainers are proud of our State's commitment to protecting our Nation. We also are proud of our State's care for the brave men and women who have served in uniform, and Cary has led the way.

One of the most significant milestones in Cary's storied history came in 1987, when our Nation's first community based outpatient clinic for veterans was established in Caribou. That pioneering work has been of great benefit to America's 3.5 million rural veterans who now receive care close to home at nearly 730 CBOCs throughout the country. The commitment by Cary Medical Center, the Veterans Administration, local veterans, and the entire community transformed healthcare for the men and women who defend our freedom.

Based on that success, Cary was selected in 2011 as one of just five sites nationwide for the Access Received Closer to Home pilot program. Maine's successful ARCH program paved the way for the Veterans Community Care Program that enables rural veterans to access the care they need in their communities. Veterans throughout American are grateful for Cary's leadership.

From professional education to diabetes care, oncology, and women and children's health, Cary Medical Center offers an ever-expanding array of services. These expansions are made possible by generous community support, led by the active and dedicated professionals and volunteers. The Cary team of physicians, nurses, technicians, staff, and volunteers are joined by grateful and supportive people throughout Aroostook County.

Through its partnership with Tufts Medical School's Maine Track Program and Cary's partnership with Pines Health Services, Cary Medical Center is a leader in strengthening rural healthcare. The selection of Cary as a pilot site for the Maine Medical Center and Dartmouth Institute Healthcare Improvement Project further demonstrates Cary's commitment to excellence.

My family, like so many others in Aroostook County, has close ties to Cary. My father served as chairman of the board of directors and actually signed the mortgage when the new hospital was built. Decades later, my brother Gregg chaired the board, and today, my niece Clara is a board member. For many years, my uncle Doug Collins, an internist, practiced medicine in Caribou and at Cary. The wonderfully compassionate and skilled healthcare providers at Cary cared for both of my parents during the final days of their lives. I am personally grateful for the leadership of all who have served in this outstanding community hospital.

More than a century has passed since Dr. Jefferson Cary practiced medicine, and he could not have foreseen the dramatic advances in healthcare since that time. But he had a vision that his generous gift to the community would benefit future generations. Thanks to the efforts of so many, that vision is a reality.

My congratulations to Cary Medical Center for 100 years of going above and beyond, and my best wishes for the years to come.

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