Farmington hospital chief takes expanded MaineHealth role

COURTESY / FRANKLIN MEMORIAL HOSPITAL MaineHealth created a new regional president role to oversee the organization’s three most western networks and hospitals, including Franklin Memorial Hospital in Farmington.

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By Laurie Schreiber

MaineHealth has created a new regional president role that will oversee the three most western networks and hospitals in the organization.

Trampas Hutches, who served since January 2020 as president of Franklin Community Health Network, was appointed to the position. The network includes Franklin Memorial Hospital in Farmington and Hutches took over just a few months before COVID-19 hit Maine and dramatically changed the health care landscape across the country.

“The Franklin Community Health Network board of directors is grateful to Hutches for his numerous contributions, particularly his unwavering leadership during the challenges of the pandemic,” Sheena Bunnell, chairperson of the network’s board of directors, said in a news release. “He’s successfully ushered Franklin through many changes and leaves behind a high-performing senior team that we trust will continue to move the organization forward.”

As of Jan. 1, Hutches also oversees Stephens Memorial Hospital-Western Maine Health Care in Norway and Memorial Hospital in North Conway, N.H.

He was also tasked with further developing regional affiliate relationships with MaineGeneral Health in Augusta and St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center in Lewiston.

“The vision for the regional structure is to work more collaboratively with health care entities in the region to provide the best possible care close to home for our patients,” said Hutches. “We’ll be able to grow our services, improve quality and take a more holistic approach with a bigger focus on preventative medicine and greater access for our communities.”

Courtesy / MaineHealth

Trampas Hutches.

Hutches arrived at Franklin Community Health Network after serving as president and chief executive officer of Melissa Memorial Hospital in Holyoke, Colo. He began his career in Colorado two decades before that as a cardiac catheterization technologist, later becoming the supervisor of the radiology department at a hospital in Nebraska and then returning to Colorado. He holds a master’s degree in health administration.

As president, Hutches led Franklin Community Health Network back to financial stability for the first time since 2014. He helped improve recruitment processes, hiring over 65 new providers while maintaining a medical staff turnover rate of less than 4% and improving patient access to care.

Additionally, he reduced care team turnover by over 10% and increased team engagement by 20%, according to Gallup Engagement Survey results.

As the second most populated region in Maine within the MaineHealth footprint, financial sustainability and the ability to recruit new care team members to the area will be another priority for Hutches.

“Our hospitals and health networks are large employers in their respective communities,” he said. “We’ll be working hard to continue providing an amazing culture for folks. We want to be the very best places to work.”

Although Hutches will no longer directly manage operations at Franklin, he remains closely involved with local leadership as they work together to further integrate with MaineHealth and regional partner hospitals.

Hutches named Chief Operating Officer Barbara Sergio as interim president; a search committee is recruiting candidates for the permanent position. The search is expected to conclude mid-February, with initial interviews beginning in the coming weeks.

"Barb’s ability to pivot when needed and manage various projects is second to none and I know she’ll be an excellent fit for this transitional role,” said Hutches. “She’s been instrumental in the organization’s success over the last three years.”

Sergio joined the network in 2019 as the senior director of quality and patient safety. She rose through the ranks and was promoted to COO in January 2021.

Courtesy / MaineHealth

Barbara Sergio.

As COO, Sergio took on a breadth of responsibilities, including a stint as an interim chief nursing officer. She organized and led the network’s community COVID-19 vaccine clinic, led the facilities department during a departmental restructure and revitalized public health programming at the Healthy Community Coalition.

As interim president, Sergio is tasked with executing new strategic objectives for the organization, community leadership and managing day-to-day operations.

Franklin Community Health Network joined the MaineHealth system in 2014.

MaineHealth, which is the state’s largest health care system, also owns and operates Maine Medical Center in Portland, has a service area with 1.1 million people in Maine and Carroll County, N.H., and employs more than 19,000.