Some high-performing Maine hospitals see ratings dip in US News study

File photo Last year, U.S. News & World Report rated Central Maine Medical Center as "high-performing" in four clinical areas. This year, CMMC received no such ratings.

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By William Hall

The hospital ratings given out by U.S. News & World Report each year typically provide bragging rights for Maine's health care systems. But this year, maybe not so much.

The 2024 analysis, published Tuesday, evaluated nearly 5,000 hospitals throughout the country in 35 areas of medical and surgical care. U.S. News examined 39 hospitals across Maine.

As for the past 11 years, Maine Medical Center in Portland ranked as the state's top hospital. And as in many of those years, it received a grade of "high-performing" in over a dozen specialties, procedures and conditions. This year, top clinical areas for the 700-bed flagship of the MaineHealth system included lung cancer surgery, heart attack treatment and care of patients with pneumonia.

But findings were mixed for other hospitals in the state.

A total of five hospitals including Maine Med received high-performance ratings. Last year, the number was six. In 2022, it was 15.

Notably absent from the 2024 roster was Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston. In 2023, CMMC earned grades of high-performing in four areas. This year, the 200-bed hospital — which treated many of the victims in October's mass shootings — received no such grades.

Fall-off in the coveted grades extended elsewhere.

In Bangor, Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center was deemed high-performing in four areas, after receiving that grade in five areas last year and seven in 2022. This year, EMMC got the high marks for lung cancer surgery, heart attack treatment, heart failure treatment and repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms.

Northern Light Mercy Hospital, in Portland, saw its ratings drop from three last year to two, for maternity care and hip replacement. St. Joseph Hospital, back in Bangor, went from two ratings to a single rating for hip replacement.

Still, there were some bright spots in the most recent U.S. News report.

At York Hospital, the number of high-performance ratings increased from three last year to four: treatment for heart attack, kidney failure, hip fracture and pneumonia.

U.S. News puts all the numbers in context by pointing out that only 36% of the evaluated hospitals received any grade of high-performing.

At Maine Medical Center, its evaluation as a "best regional hospital" puts it in even a more select group — just 11% of the hospitals earned that honor.

“Our care team deserves all the credit in the world for consistently providing the high-quality, patient-centered care that has led to this recognition year after year,” said Britt Crewse, president of MaineHealth’s Southern Region, which includes MaineHealth Maine Medical Center Portland. “Patients know they can rely on the care they receive at MaineHealth.”

U.S. News & World Report, which began as a magazine in 1933, publishes a wide variety of quality ratings and consumer guides in health care, education and other fields. The best hospitals analysis has been published each year since 1990.

To see the 2024 findings, click here.