Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems

EASTERN MAINE MEDICAL CENTER D/B/A NORTHERN LIGHT EASTERN MAINE MEDICAL CENTER STRIVES TO PROVIDE EXCEPTIONAL PRIMARY AND SPECIALTY HEALTHCARE WITH A PASSIONATE PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE IN PATIENT SAFETY, CLINICAL QUALITY, AND SERVICE. OUR MISSION IS TO CARE FOR PATIENTS, FAMILIES, COMMUNITIES, AND ONE ANOTHER.

PROVIDE HEALTHCARE SERVICES REGARDLESS OF ABILITY TO PAY AS WELL AS EDUCATION, RESEARCH AND PROMOTION OF HEALTH. PROVIDED OTHER UNCOMPENSATED CARE (AT COST) OF $13,057,082.NORTHERN LIGHT EASTERN MAINE MEDICAL CENTER (EMMC) HAS SERVED COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT OUR REGION FOR 131 YEARS. UNDER COMMUNITY DIRECTION, IT HAS GROWN FROM A FIVE-BED GENERAL HOSPITAL INTO A COMPREHENSIVE, 411 BED TERTIARY MEDICAL CENTER WITH PRIMARY AND SECONDARY CARE COMPONENTS. EMMC IS A NONPROFIT HOSPITAL, SERVING ALL WHO NEED CARE, REGARDLESS OF ABILITY TO PAY.EMMC ALSO PROVIDES OUTREACH CLINICS TO MANY LOCAL HOSPITALS IN THE REGION, ALLOWING EASIER ACCESS TO PATIENTS AND SUPPORTING THE ROLE OF THOSE HOSPITALS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. EMMC PROVIDES ACCESS TO MEDICAL DATA TO HOSPITALS ACROSS THE STATE THROUGH ITS PACS SYSTEM, HELPING TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF CARE PATIENTS RECEIVE. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND AT EMMC'S WEBSITE: HTTPS://NORTHERNLIGHTHEALTH.ORG/EASTERN-MAINE-MEDICAL-CENTER.ADDITIONAL STATISTICSTOTAL ADMISSIONS 19,563CARDIAC CATHETERIZATION PROCEDURES 5,309CARDIAC SURGERY CASES 465EMERGENCY ROOM VISITS 30,745MEDICAL IMAGING PROCEDURES 171,205SURGERY CASES 14,793LIVE BIRTHS 1,601FAMILY PRACTICE VISITS 121,007TOTAL OUTPATIENT VISITS 585,698PATIENT DAYS 112,003SERVICES PROVIDED TO THOSE WHO COULD NOT PAY $43,819,515

MEDICARE SHORTFALLS-$130,786,522 (AT COST) 89,263 PERSONS SERVED.CHARITY CARE PROVIDED-$1,788,550 (AT COST) 1,607 PERSONS SERVED.MEDICAID SHORTFALLS-$72,843,914 (AT COST) 102,574 PERSONS SERVED.

PLEASE SEE THE FOLLOWING EXCERPT FROM THE NORTHERN LIGHT HEALTH ANNUAL REPORT 2023 TO THE COMMUNITY FOR DETAILS OF COMMUNITY BENEFIT PROJECTS AT NLH MEMBERS:NORTHERN LIGHT HEALTHANNUAL REPORT 2023HOW ARE YOU?HOW ARE YOU IS A SIMPLE QUESTION THAT WE ASK MANY TIMES THROUGHOUT THE DAY, BUT ITS ALSO A QUESTION THAT GOES BEYOND CONVERSATION, AN EXPRESSION OF GENUINE CARE AND INTEREST IN THE WELLBEING OF OTHERS. ITS A FOUNDATION OF THE DEEPER, MORE MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS WE BUILD WITH OUR EMPLOYEES, PATIENTS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND OTHERS. WE HOPE THIS ANNUAL REPORT ILLUSTRATES HOW THIS QUESTION, WHILE AT THE HEART OF OUR CHARACTER, IS ONE OF THE WAYS WE GUIDE OUR PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES THROUGH THE HEALTHCARE EXPERIENCE. THIS YEAR, WE HIGHLIGHT WAYS OUR INCREDIBLE EMPLOYEES AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS WORK TOGETHER TO ENSURE WE ARE MAKING HEALTHCARE WORK FOR ALL PEOPLE IN MAINE. FROM A NURSE WHO PROVIDES HEALING CARE IN THE HOSPITAL AND NOURISHING FOOD IN A RESTAURANT, TO HELPING COMMUNITY MEMBERS COMBAT OPIOID USE DISORDER WITH NARCAN TRAINING.OUR COMMITMENT EXTENDS WELL BEYOND THE WALLS OF OUR FACILITIES; WE ARE TRAINING COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS IN PSYCHOLOGICAL FIRST AID AND ARE COLLABORATING WITH OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES TO PROMOTE HEALTH EDUCATION AND HELP CREATE A HEALTHIER MAINE. WE EXTEND OUR GRATITUDE TO OUR DEDICATED STAFF AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS, AND TO THE PEOPLE OF MAINE WHO PLACE THEIR TRUST IN US. WE HOPE YOU TAKE A MOMENT TO ASK, HOW ARE YOU? AND SEE HOW INCORPORATING THIS SIMPLE BUT MEANINGFUL QUESTION INTO YOUR DAILY INTERACTIONS CAN POSITIVELY AFFECT OUR RELATIONSHIPS AND CREATE MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS.WE HOPE YOU ENJOY THE 2023 ANNUAL REPORT.TIMOTHY J. DENTRY, MBAPRESIDENT & CEONORTHERN LIGHT HEALTHJOHN RYANBOARD CHAIRNORTHERN LIGHT HEALTHHOW ARE YOUGOING TO SAVE A LIFE?NORTHERN LIGHT HEALTHS NARCAN PROGRAM: SAVING LIVES IN MAINE ANDREW MITCHELL FOUND HIMSELF IN A SITUATION HE NEVER EXPECTED. HE WAS OUTSIDE A RESTAURANT IN BANGOR ONE AUGUST AFTERNOON IN 2022 WHEN A LIFE CHANGING EXPERIENCE CONVINCED HIM OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THE OVERDOSE-REVERSING MEDICATION, NARCAN. MITCHELL, WHO RECEIVED A NARCAN KIT AT THE BLUE HILL FAIR, WAS OUT WITH A FRIEND WHEN A WOMAN ACROSS THE STREET URGENTLY CALLED OUT THAT A MAN WAS OVERDOSING. QUICKLY, MITCHELL RUSHED TO HIS TRUCK, GRABBED THE NARCAN KIT, AND ADMINISTERED THE LIFE-SAVING DRUG TO THE UNCONSCIOUS MAN, WHOSE LIPS HAD TURNED BLUE. THANKS TO HIS TIMELY INTERVENTION, THE MAN BEGAN TO REGAIN CONSCIOUSNESS. MITCHELL RECEIVED HIS FREE NARCAN KIT FROM NORTHERN LIGHT BLUE HILL HOSPITAL, WHICH HAS BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF ADDRESSING MAINES OPIOID EPIDEMIC. EMPLOYEES HANDED OUT THESE KITS TO THE PUBLIC AT THE BLUE HILL FAIR IN 2022 AND 2023. MITCHELL SHARES, I HAD NO MEDICAL TRAINING AT ALL, AND IF I CAN USE NARCAN, ANYONE ELSE CAN USE IT TOO. ITS STRAIGHTFORWARD, HE SHARES. NORTHERN LIGHT HEALTHS EFFORTS EXTEND BEYOND NARCAN DISTRIBUTION TO INDIVIDUALS. HOSPITALS ACROSS THE SYSTEM ARE ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY IN A NEW AND MEANINGFUL WAY. NORTHERN LIGHT INLAND HOSPITAL IN WATERVILLE AND NORTHERN LIGHT SEBASTICOOK VALLEY HOSPITAL IN PITTSFIELD PROVIDE TRAINING TO COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS ON THE USE OF NARCAN. THE HOSPITALS TRAINING PROGRAMS ARE PART OF A THREE-YEAR FEDERAL GRANT PROGRAM TO REDUCE OVERDOSE DEATHS IN MAINE. HANNA BOUCHARD, A COMMUNITY HEALTH OUTREACH COORDINATOR WITH BOTH HOSPITALS, PLAYS A VITAL ROLE IN THIS PROGRAM. HER EXPERIENCE AS AN EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIAN, COUPLED WITH HER DEDICATION TO THE CAUSE HAS MADE HER A KEY FIGURE IN PROVIDING NARCAN TRAINING TO COMMUNITY PARTNERS, INCLUDING KENNEBEC VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN FAIRFIELD. THIS PROGRAM IS NOT JUST ABOUT TEACHING PEOPLE HOW TO USE NARCAN; ITS ABOUT GIVING THEM THE KNOWLEDGE AND TOOLS TO SAVE LIVES, SHARES BOUCHARD. IN THE BATTLE AGAINST OPIOID OVERDOSES, DATA TELLS A COMPELLING STORY. MAINE EXPERIENCED MORE THAN 700 OVERDOSE DEATHS IN 2022, AND WHILE THE NUMBERS ARE ALARMING, NARCAN IS MAKING A DIFFERENCE. OF THE 9,394 REPORTED NON-FATAL OVERDOSES, 2,200 WERE REVERSED THANKS TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS CARRYING NARCAN. NOW WITH FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION APPROVAL, THIS LIFE-SAVING MEDICATION IS AVAILABLE OVER THE COUNTER. ACROSS MAINE, THE OPIOID CRISIS REMAINS A SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGE. THESE INITIATIVES, WHETHER DISTRIBUTING NARCAN KITS AT THE BLUE HILL FAIR OR PROVIDING COMMUNITY TRAININGS, ARE CRUCIAL STEPS TOWARDS REDUCING DRUG OVERDOSE DEATHS. THESE PROGRAMS SERVE AS BEACONS OF HOPE, REMINDING US THAT EVERY LIFE IS WORTH SAVING, AND EVERY INTERVENTION COUNTS. A VITAL CONNECTIONARE YOU MONITORING YOUR HEALTH? NORTHERN LIGHT HOME CARE & HOSPICE IS ONE OF THE FIRST HOME HEALTHCARE AGENCIES TO ENDORSE AND PROMOTE TELEHEALTH FOR PATIENTS WHO QUALIFY. THROUGH LIVECONNECTED, NORTHERN LIGHTS TELEHEALTH PROGRAM, MONITORS CAN BE INSTALLED IN A PATIENTS HOME. OUR NURSES TRAIN PATIENTS ON HOW TO READ AND RECORD THE INFORMATION TO MONITOR THEIR CONDITION, AND THE MACHINE DOES THE REST! MORE THAN 630 MAINERS STATEWIDE USE LIVECONNECTED, INCLUDING THOSE WHO ARE NOT PATIENTS OF HOME CARE & HOSPICE.THE SERVICE USES MONITORING EQUIPMENT TO PROVIDE DAILY READINGS OF VITAL SIGNS TO REGISTERED NURSES. THE NURSES WORK WITH THE PATIENT AND THEIR PHYSICIAN TO MAINTAIN AND ADJUST MEDICATIONS FROM THE CONVENIENCE OF HOME. EACH DAY AT A PRE-DETERMINED TIME, THE MACHINE GUIDES THE PATIENT THROUGH THE STEPS TO MONITOR THEIR HEALTH.NORTHERN LIGHT HOME CARE & HOSPICE USES A TEAM APPROACH TO DELIVER CARE, EDUCATE OUR PATIENTS, AND TO BETTER MANAGE CONDITIONS LIKE CHRONIC HEART AND LUNG DISEASES. OFTEN, MANAGING CHRONIC HEALTH CONDITIONS MEANS FREQUENT TRIPS TO THE DOCTOR OR HOSPITAL TO MONITOR VITAL SIGNS. USING TELEMONITORING AND OFFERING CARE, SUCH AS PHYSICAL THERAPY, OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY, AND SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY TO PATIENTS AT HOME ELIMINATES THE STRESS OF FREQUENT TRIPS AND DIFFICULT ACCESS TO TRANSPORTATION. EACH NORTHERN LIGHT HOME CARE & HOSPICE PATIENT RECEIVES A CUSTOMIZED CARE PLAN THAT INCLUDES CLINICAL HOME VISITS, TELEHEALTH MONITORING, AND EDUCATION DESIGNED FOR THE INDIVIDUAL, ALLOWING PATIENTS TO MANAGE THEIR CARE FROM THE COMFORT OF HOME. TO LEARN MORE ABOUT LIVECONNECTED VISIT NORTHERNLIGHTHEALTH.ORG/LIVECONNECTED. TO FIND OUT IF YOU QUALIFY, PLEASE CALL 800-757-3326 TO SPEAK TO A MEMBER OF OUR HOME CARE & HOSPICE TEAM.HOW ARE YOUAND YOUR BABY?TRANSFORMING LIVES: FRANCIS WARDE HOME FOR DECADES, PORTLAND HAS BEEN A DESTINATION FOR PEOPLE SEEKING ASYLUM; LEAVING THEIR HOME COUNTRIES, SEEKING SAFETY AND PROTECTION IN A NEW PLACE TO CALL HOME. SOMETIMES, THERE ARE CRACKS IN THE SOCIAL SAFETY NET FOR THIS VULNERABLE POPULATION, AND SOME OF THE MOST VULNERABLE ARE PREGNANT WOMEN.ONE WOMAN, WHO CAME TO NORTHERN LIGHT MERCY HOSPITAL ON A COLD RAINY DAY IN JUNE, WAS FIVE MONTHS PREGNANT, WITHOUT SHELTER, AND IN DIRE NEED OF CARE. MELISSA SKAHAN, VICE PRESIDENT OF MISSION INTEGRATION AT MERCY, RECOUNTS HER STORY, THIS WOMAN WAS ILL, HAD NO HOME, AND A DISCHARGE PLAN WOULD POTENTIALLY PUT HER BACK OUT ON THE STREET OR INTO ANOTHER SHORT-TERM SHELTER.THANKFULLY, SKAHAN WAS ALREADY WORKING ON A SOLUTION. MERCY HOSPITAL HAD RECENTLY TEAMED UP WITH THE NON-PROFIT IN HER PRESENCE (IHP), TO START A NEW, TWO-GENERATIONAL PROGRAM FOR PREGNANT WOMEN WHO ARE SEEKING ASYLUM. THE NEW PROGRAM WOULD OPEN SOON, IN THE FORMER FRANCIS WARDE CONVENT, A RESIDENCE ONCE OWNED BY THE SISTERS OF MERCY OF THE AMERICAS AND NAMED AFTER ONE OF THE ORIGINAL SISTERS OF MERCY.THE FRANCIS WARDE HOME WAS NEARLY READY TO OPEN, SO INSTEAD OF SENDING THIS PREGNANT WOMAN BACK INTO UNCERTAINTY, HOSPITAL STAFF STEPPED IN. WITHIN 48 HOURS, THEY MADE A CRUCIAL DECISION THAT WOULD CHANGE HER LIFE. SKAHAN ADDS, OUR STAFF KEPT HER HERE, AND THE PROGRAM LAUNCH WAS TIMED SO THAT WE WERE ABLE TO MOVE HER QUICKLY INTO FRANCIS WARDE.THE FRANCIS WARDE PROGRAM, AS IT IS COMMONLY REFERRED TO, ENSURES THAT VULNERABLE WOMEN IN NEED OF SHELTER, BASIC NEEDS, AND HEALTHCARE RECEIVE SUPPORT. OVERSEEING THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS OF THE FRANCIS WARDE PROGRAM IS CLAUDETTE NDAYININAHAZE, THE CO-FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF IHP. NDAYININAHAZE EMPHASIZES, WE ARE JUST BEGINNING TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO SEE THE WHOLE PERSON AND SERVE THE WHOLE PERSON. THE IHP APPROACH IS CREATING LONG-TERM COMMUNITY AND LIFELONG LEARNERS WHO GIVE BACK. WE NEED TO INTEGRATE CULTURE AND ENSURE A TRUE BALANCE OF POWER SO THAT WOMEN FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD FEEL EMPOWERED TO SHAPE THEIR HEALTHCARE.THE PROGRAM GOES BEYOND PROVIDING SHELTER AND HEALTHCARE. IT EXTENDS TO OFFERING EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, INCLUDING ENGLISH LANGUAGE CLASSES AND WORKFORCE TRAINING AT NORTHERN LIGHT MERCY HOSPITAL. THE WOMEN WHO BENEFIT FROM THE PROGRAM GO THROUGH A REMARKABLE TRANSFORMATION.IN SKAHANS WORDS, ITS TRANSFORMATIVE. IVE SEEN PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN IN THE PROGRAM FOR A FEW MONTHS, AND THEY LOOK LIKE DIFFERENT PEOPLE THAN WHEN YOU FIRST MEET THEM BECAUSE THEIR BASIC NEEDS ARE MET, AND THEY ARE CONSTANTLY PROGRESSING AND DEV