Dr. Richard Kahn to Spearhead Innovative Senior-Care Practice
at Quarry Hill and Knox Center
Care in the vanguard of senior communities nationwide

Pen Bay Healthcare has announced the appointment of midcoast internist Dr. Richard Kahn as Senior Services Physician Specialist, effective Oct. 5. In his new role, Kahn will focus exclusively on caring for the residents of PBH's two senior communities, Quarry Hill in Camden and the Knox Center for Long Term Care in Rockland.

Initially, Kahn will concentrate on providing primary care for nursing-care residents at both centers and to assisted living residents at Quarry Hill. In time, administrators expect his role to expand to include Quarry Hill's independent living residents as well.

Pen Bay Healthcare Senior Services Director Bob McKeown said Kahn's appointment places Quarry Hill and the Knox Center in the vanguard of senior communities nationwide. He said the innovation arose as a way to resolve economic and logistical issues that make it difficult for many primary-care providers throughout Maine and nationwide to visit their patients in nursing care.

"Having an onsite physician bypasses these obstacles, affording residents more frequent visits with a doctor, ensuring swifter response to emergent medical concerns, and reducing the need to send people to the hospital to get the attention they need," McKeown said.

McKeown indicated that residents will have the option of continuing to see their current primary care physicians or transferring to Kahn for those services while residing at Quarry Hill or the Knox Center. Similarly, he said, area physicians will have an opportunity to choose whether or not to continue visiting their patients in nursing care.

Elaborating on the benefits of the new model, McKeown said it will help both Quarry Hill and the Knox Center control costs, improve efficiency, and allow nurses more time to care for residents and provide the nursing perspective that is critical to sound medical decisions.

"We see this as a win-win situation that will benefit not only our residents but Pen Bay Healthcare as a whole. It speaks to the commitment of the entire Pen Bay Healthcare system to provide quality care across the service continuum," McKeown said.

Kahn began providing healthcare in the Camden-Rockport area in 1972. He completed undergraduate studies at Rutgers University and received his medical degree from Tufts University School of Medicine.