Release Date: 06/21/2012

Success in Journey to be the Best Rural Healthcare System in America

(BREWER, ME) – June 19, 2012 – It was in 2007 that EMHS set forth to achieve its vision - to be the best rural healthcare system in America by (September 30) 2012. A process was established to measure success, and systemwide goals were set around many initiatives, including employee retention, well workplace programs, improving patient satisfaction, physician practice quality, and chronic disease care management. While we know we still have much work to do, we’re proud to say that we’ve realized incredible success through this work, with many of our goals being achieved or surpassed.

Now, for the first time ever, EMHS made the IMS annual list of the top 100 Integrated Health Networks in the nation – placing at #78. IMS is a leading global provider of healthcare information, services, and technology. For more than 55 years the company has surveyed a provider’s ability to operate as a unified organization in eight categories: integration, integrated technology, contractual capabilities, outpatient utilization, continuum of care, financial stability, services and access, hospital utilization, and physician services.

There were 592 health systems considered for the IMS Top 100 Integrated Healthcare Networks. After extensive review, 100 were chosen. According to EMHS president and CEO Michelle Hood, “The list does not distinguish between urban and rural systems, however, in carefully reviewing the list we discovered there are nine other substantially rural systems that placed higher than EMHS. So, we can say with confidence and pride that EMHS is among the top 10 rural health systems in America.”

EMHS’ vision to be the best has been a driving force across the system with each member organization devoting considerable time and energy to realizing the vision. Our dedication to shared values, strategic priorities, and the communities we serve will continue to drive us to achieve great things together and be a national model for healthcare delivery in the future. More information is available at http://www.emhs.org/Home/EMHS-Reinvented.aspx; the site is being updated frequently.

EMHS member organizations are Acadia Hospital, Affiliated Healthcare System, Blue Hill Memorial Hospital, Charles A Dean Memorial Hospital, Eastern Maine HomeCare, Eastern Maine Medical Center, Healthcare Charities, Inland Hospital, Rosscare, Sebasticook Valley Health, and TAMC. These organizations share common values and work to ensure the highest quality care is available to the people of Maine. Together we’re stronger.

Editor’s Note: IMS is the only rating agency that looks at the wide variety of metrics applicable to a complex, vertically integrated health system such as EMHS. You may know that Thomson-Reuters also publishes a Top 10 Health System Report and Top 100 Hospital Report. However, Thomson-Reuters limits its assessment to public hospital data only, excluding critical access hospitals, home health, long-term care, and emergency medical transport, all services that EMHS offers.