BELFAST — Maine Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMS-C) has recognized MaineHealth Waldo Hospital for its readiness to care for pediatric patients, awarding the hospital the Pediatric Innovator designation in June 2025—the highest recognition offered by the Always Ready for Children (ARC) program, according to MaineHealth, in a news release.

Hospital leadership will formally recognize this designation during a ceremony on Tuesday, May 26, at 10 a.m. The ceremony will be held outside the hospital’s administrative building at 125 Northport Ave., located across the street from the hospital. This event is free and open to the public.

“This recognition is a testament to our care team’s commitment to improving care for pediatric patients across Maine,” said Tyler Giberson, MD, associate chief medical officer for MaineHealth Pen Bay and Waldo Hospitals. “We want children in our communities to be among the healthiest in America and being prepared to care for ill and injured children is an important part of that.”

MaineHealth Waldo Hospital is the sixth hospital in the state to earn the Pediatric Innovator designation, joining MaineHealth Medical Center in Biddeford, MaineHealth Franklin Hospital in Farmington, MaineHealth Maine Medical Center in Portland, MaineHealth Pen Bay Hospital in Rockport and MaineHealth Maine Medical Center in Sanford.

The ARC program is a voluntary initiative that helps ensure Maine emergency departments are prepared to care for pediatric emergencies. To earn the Pediatric Innovator designation, hospitals must:

 Identify a designated physician and nurse pediatric emergency care coordinator (PECC) to support emergency department staff.

 Be willing to share resources with other hospitals in Maine to improve pediatric care.

 Achieve a score of 80 or above on the National Pediatric Readiness Project assessment, which measures “readiness” of an emergency department to care for an ill or injured presented pediatric patient.

"MaineHealth Waldo Hospital’s emergency department achieved an impressive score of 94 out of 100 from the National Pediatric Readiness Project—significantly above the national median of 71," said MaineHealth.

According to Keith Mitchell, RN, manager of Emergency Services for MaineHealth Waldo Hospital, research shows that emergency departments with pediatric readiness scores greater than 87 can reduce in-hospital mortality by as much as 60 to 76%.

“We are very proud of this accomplishment,” said Mitchell. “Caring for critically ill children in a rural-area emergency department is a low-frequency, high-risk situation where true readiness matters and can be the difference between life and death.”

He added that the care team emphasizes regular simulation training, specialized education and dedicated supplies to ensure readiness for any pediatric emergency.

Mitchell credited the care team’s collaborative approach as key to the hospital’s high score. He also recognized the work of Sophie Todd, DO, who served as the hospital’s physician PECC and led early efforts on the pediatric readiness assessment, and Heather Blake, RN, emergency department clinical nurse educator, for helping ensure the department has the training, resources and supplies needed to care for critically ill pediatric patients.

“Caring for the sickest of children takes a true interdisciplinary team,” Dr. Giberson said. “In addition to our dedicated emergency department providers, we rely on skilled respiratory therapists, nurses and our local pediatricians. Their support and immediate availability for consultation and assistance make a critical difference.”

MaineHealth Waldo Hospital’s emergency department is open 24 hours per day, 365 days a year. The department’s physicians, nurses and emergency care technicians treat patients from infancy through adulthood, no matter the illness or injury. For more information about emergency care at MaineHealth Waldo Hospital, visit Emergency Care | Emergency Department | MaineHealth.

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.