Dr. Carl Flynn receives the MPCA 2011 Physician Excellence Award

(2011) – The Maine Primary Care Association (MPCA) selected Carl Flynn, MD, a Family Practitioner at Pines Health Services, as the recipient of the 2011 Physician Excellence Award. This statewide honor recognizes “the clinician who exemplifies the best of primary care medicine for the underserved, reaches high standards of quality care, adopts innovations, promotes greater access, and demonstrates leadership to advance primary care for all.”

Since Dr. Flynn joined Pines in 1995, he has dedicated himself to providing high quality, accessible care for community residents regardless of their ability to pay. Dr. Flynn starts his routine office day early, seeing patients before 7:00 a.m. so they can get to work on time. When a patient calls asking to be seen, he finds a way to see that patient the same day no matter how busy his schedule might be. He is supervising physician for Family Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants; he also precepts students enrolled in these programs from the University of New England and the University of Maine, as well as medical students from the University of Vermont College of Medicine and the Maine Medical Center/Tufts University School of Medicine rural primary care programs.

In 2009 Dr. Flynn was named Maine Family Physician of the Year by the Maine Academy of Family Physicians (MAFP) for his inspirational leadership, compassion, skills as a physician, and active involvement in the community. He was named Citizen of the Year in 2003 by the Caribou Chamber of Commerce and Industry for the quality of his crisis management and patient care.

A true champion of patient safety and quality care, Dr. Flynn volunteered to serve on the physician-led task force that selected the inaugural Pines Electronic Medical Record system and was instrumental in moving Cary Medical Center to a national leadership position in the use of digital medical technology. He was elected Chairman of the Cary Board of Directors in 2004—the first physician to serve in this capacity. Dr. Flynn has served multiple terms as elected President of the Medical Staff at Cary, is a member of Cary's active staff, and has served as Medical Director for Loring Job Corps and for Cary's Diabetes Program.

Dr. Flynn's patients speak highly of the care he provides. One patient stated, “Dr. Flynn has been my Primary Care Physician since I was young. He sees my entire family and has a good knowledge of my family's medical history, which is important. He's the type of doctor who will do everything he can to help you in any way he can, and he makes you feel that you are in the best hands possible. There is a reason why he has received numerous awards, including this one: He's the best, hands down.”

Beyond his skills as a physician, Dr. Flynn has coached Caribou Little League for several years and Presque Isle Minor Hockey, and participates in the Recreational Men's Hockey League. He has also served on the Caribou Country Club Board of Directors. As coach of the Presque Isle High School Varsity Ice Hockey Team, Dr. Flynn was recognized as the Gene Fadrigan Coach of the Year in 2009 for leading his team to the Class B Eastern Maine Championship. In 2010 Dr. Flynn “bravely” volunteered to be dunked in the Pines Dunk Tank during the annual Caribou Cares about Kids festivities. An easily recognizable member of the community, he attracted large lines for the dunk tank and put smiles on the faces of many children.

Dr. Flynn is Board Certified by the Canadian College of Family Practice and American Board of Family Practice, and is a Fellow of the Canadian College of Family Physicians. He and his wife, Clarann, have three children: Duncan, Jillian, and Adam.

PHOTO CAPTION: Carl Flynn, MD, recipient of the MPCA 2011 Physician Excellence Award.