Eight Maine hospitals named to 2016 'top hospital' list

BY STAFF The Leapfrog Group announced this week that eight Maine hospitals have been named to its 2016 top hospital list, which honors the highest performers on the group's survey. The winning facilities were officially recognized at Leapfrog's annual meeting on Dec. 6 in Washington, D.C. Seven Maine hospitals were recognized in the top rural hospital category: LincolnHealth, a member of MaineHealth, with a 25-bed community hospital in Damariscotta and an urgent care and outpatient campus in Boothbay Harbor. Mayo Regional Hospital, a 25-bed hospital in Dover-Foxcroft that serves residents in Piscataquis, Penobscot and Somerset counties. Stephens Memorial Hospital, a member of MaineHealth, with a 25-bed hospital in Norway. Bridgton Hospital, a member of the Central Maine Medical family, with a 25-bed hospital in Bridgton. Charles A. Dean Memorial Hospital, a member of Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems, with a 25-bed hospital located in Greenville. Pen Bay Medical Center, a member of MaineHealth, in Rockport, with 99 acute beds and 84 long-term beds, according to the Maine Hospital Association. Sebasticook Valley Health, a member of Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems, with a 25-bed hospital in Pittsfield. Maine had a higher percentage of top rural hospitals than any other state in the country, earning seven of the 21 top designations given out nationwide. The final Maine hospital, St. Mary's Regional Medical Center, a 233-bed acute-care facility in Lewiston, was recognized in the top general hospital category. St. Mary's is a member of Covenant Health in Massachusetts. The top hospital award is given to teaching, general, rural and children's hospitals that publicly report their performance through the Leapfrog Hospital Survey and meet the high standards defined in the Top Hospitals Methodology. This includes infection rates, maternity care and a hospital's ability to prevent medication errors. Nationwide, nine hospitals are recognized as top children's hospitals, 56 as top general hospitals, 29 as top teaching hospitals and 21 as top rural hospitals in Leapfrog Group's 2016 top hospitals list. "We are extremely proud of our state's performance on Leapfrog's hospital survey," said Michael DeLorenzo, CEO of the Maine Health Management Coalition, who presented the awards in Washington D.C. "Not only did eight of our hospitals achieve top-performer status, but we were also the only state in the country to achieve 100% participation in the survey, which we have done for the last nine years. We know that making safety, quality of care, and transparency a priority leads to positive change, so we are very proud of Maine's hospitals' commitment to this important initiative." The Maine Health Management Coalition is a nonprofit located in Topsham with 60-plus members that include public and private purchasers, hospitals, health plans, and providers working together to measure and report health care value. The MHMC helps employers and their employees use this information to make informed decisions. Founded in 2000 by large employers and other purchasers, The Leapfrog Group is a national nonprofit organization driving a movement for giant leaps forward in the quality and safety of American health care.