ROCKPORT — MaineHealth Cardiology Rockport is expanding access to specialized cardiovascular care with the launch of an in-person Advanced Heart Failure Program on the MaineHealth Pen Bay Hospital campus this month. The program will make it easier for patients in the Midcoast region to receive advanced heart failure care close to home, according to a MaineHealth news release.

The in-person programs builds on the virtual heart failure services previously offered through the practice and will create new opportunities for patients with more complex diagnoses to receive consistent, hands-on support from a heart failure specialist. While the virtual clinic has historically served one or two patients each month, the new model will allow six to eight patients to be seen in person monthly, with potential for growth over time, according to MaineHealth.

“Many of our sickest patients—those who experience multiple hospital admissions related to their condition—really benefit from the additional support of a heart failure specialist to weigh in and stay on top of their care,” said Chris LeBlanc, manager of the Cardiology Rockport practice. “We’re excited to bring this enhanced level of care to our community.”

Beginning Feb. 19, cardiologist Katharine Manning, MD, will see patients in the Rockport office one day each month. Dr. Manning also provides heart failure care at MaineHealth practices in Portland and Scarborough.

Dr. Manning joined MaineHealth in October 2024. Prior to that, she was the acting co-section chief of advanced heart failure and assistant professor of medicine in the department of internal medicine, sections of advanced heart failure/transplant cardiology and palliative care at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center/Geisel School of Medicine in Hanover, N.H.

Dr. Manning completed fellowships in advanced heart failure and transplant/VAD at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston in 2022, a Harvard interprofessional palliative care fellowship in Boston in 2021 and a cardiovascular medicine fellowship at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in 2020. She completed her internal medicine residency at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in 2017 and earned her medical degree from Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in 2014. She also holds a Master of Bioethics from the University of Pennsylvania and Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from Yale University.

For more information about the Advanced Heart Failure Program and other cardiovascular services at MaineHealth, visit mainehealth.org/cardiology.

MaineHealth is a not-for-profit, integrated health system whose vision is, “Working together so our communities are the healthiest in America,” and is committed to a mission of providing high-quality affordable care, educating tomorrow's caregivers and researching better ways to provide care. MaineHealth includes a Level 1 trauma medical center, eight additional licensed hospitals, comprehensive pediatric care services, an extensive behavioral health care network, diagnostic services as well as home health, hospice and senior care services. With more than 2,000 employed providers and approximately 23,000 care team members, MaineHealth provides preventive care, diagnosis and treatment to 1.1 million residents in Maine and New Hampshire. MaineHealth hospitals include MaineHealth Behavioral Health at Spring Harbor in Westbrook, MaineHealth Franklin Hospital in Farmington, MaineHealth Lincoln Hospital in Damariscotta, MaineHealth Maine Medical Center in Portland, Biddeford and Sanford, MaineHealth Memorial Hospital in North Conway, N.H., MaineHealth Mid Coast Hospital in Brunswick, MaineHealth Pen Bay Hospital in Rockport, MaineHealth Stephens Hospital in Norway and MaineHealth Waldo Hospital in Belfast. MaineHealth also includes the MaineHealth Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital in Portland, MaineHealth Behavioral Health in Westbrook, MaineHealth Home Health and Hospice in Saco, the MaineHealth Institute for Research in Scarborough, the MaineHealth Medical Group and MaineHealth NorDx in Scarborough. MaineHealth affiliates include MaineGeneral Health in Augusta and Waterville. It is also a significant stakeholder in the MaineHealth Accountable Care Organization in Portland and a joint venture partner in the New England Rehabilitation Hospital in Portland.