9 Maine hospitals earn 'top hospital' distinction
Nine Maine hospitals have been named to The Leapfrog Group’s annual list of “top rural hospitals,” a recognition given to less than 7% of all eligible hospitals nationwide.
The annual award recognizes excellence in hospital safety, quality and use of resources and is based on the annual hospital survey of The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit organization founded in November 2000 that uses its survey to help large health-care purchasers structure their contracts and purchasing decisions to reward the highest-performing hospitals.
The nine Maine rural hospitals earning the top hospital distinction are: Blue Hill Memorial Hospital, Calais Regional Hospital, Charles A. Dean Memorial Hospital, Houlton Regional Hospital, Inland Hospital, LincolnHealth, Pen Bay Medical Center, Sebasticook Valley Health, and Stephens Memorial Hospital. Pen Bay was added to the list for the first time. Only 25 rural hospitals nationwide were so recognized.
Sixty urban hospitals and nine children’s hospitals round out the 94 hospitals nationwide that were selected by The Leapfrog Group this year for its top hospital distinction.
“‘Top hospitals’ have lower infection rates, higher survival rates for high-risk procedures, decreased length of stay and fewer readmissions,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group, in a press release announcing this year’s list. “They represent an elite group of hospitals in which exemplary care can be expected.”
“Our state has more top rural hospitals than any other in the country, and that is a testament to a medical culture in Maine dedicated to continuous quality improvement, our collaborative spirit, and our commitment to transparency,” added Andy Webber, CEO of Maine Health Management Coalition, a Topsham-based nonprofit whose 60-plus members include public and private employers, hospitals, health plans, and doctors working together to measure and report health care value. “All nine hospitals that earned Leapfrog’s distinction publish quality information on the MHMC’s website, and we believe this has helped to drive quality improvement across the state. We look forward to continuing this work with the aim of all Maine’s hospitals earning the Top Hospital designation.”
Read more
Rural Maine hospitals score well in national ranking
Maine No. 1 in hospital safety
Most Recent
Most Recent
Comments