Table of Contents
Annual Report 2022

Promises

“A promise made must be a promise kept.”
- Aristotle

When People keep their promises to us, we feel valued, respected, and appreciated. At Northern Light Health, we understand the importance of making a promise and doing the work to keep it.

Our promise to the people and communities we serve across our great state of Maine is to make healthcare work for you. This means that we promise to get better every day by raising quality through teamwork, efficiency, and innovation. We promise to guide the way for our patients and their families, through the care experience. We live in a big, rural state, and we know access to care can be challenging for some people in our communities. So, we are committed to improving access. And last, but certainly not least, we promise to see patients as diverse individuals with their own unique needs.

In this annual report, we highlight the ways our valued employees and community partners are working together to keep our promises to the communities we serve. From helping firefighters access lung cancer studies at world-class research hospitals, to helping busy parents schedule pediatrics appointments on their own time, and using the latest in diagnostic technology to help people with congestive heart failure stay out of the hospital. We are also helping the state address a critical shortage of psychiatric inpatient beds while addressing the state's long-term community-based mental and behavioral health needs.

These stories in this report are just a few examples of the promises we work hard to keep every day. This work inspires us. We hope it inspires you too.


Tim Dentry, MBA
President & CEO
Northern Light Health

Kathy Corey
Board Chair
Northern Light Health

Acadia for All

Watch This Story

Northern Light Acadia Hospital is undertaking an ambitious expansion project to double the number of its single occupancy rooms and add 50 inpatient pediatric rooms.

Emerald Forcier is walking an aisle of gleaming white chairs carefully set on a lush green lawn overlooking the Penobscot River. Her husband, Kurt is hustling along on a lawn tractor, making sure the lawn is short and neat for the upcoming wedding the couple plans to host at their venue, Penobscot Bay Weddings in Winterport. As her four-year-old daughter, Maisie picks wildflowers, Forcier is holding her eight-month-old son Miles in her arms while she thinks about all the work she has left to do in the wedding tent. “I often say to friends and family when they ask how I'm doing, I'm like, I am exhausted. We're starting a new business. And yet the deep, important things are wonderful.”

But seven years ago, things were not wonderful for Forcier in terms of her mental health. She was living on the island of Bali; she was having difficulty getting the medications to manage her depression, and she was in a suicidal state. She moved back to the United States and attended an inpatient treatment program, which she credits with saving her life. After six months of hard work restarting her life, she was back in Maine, but her health insurance was due to expire at the beginning of the new year. Despite spending four weeks consistently trying, Forcier could not access any outpatient provider to renew her prescriptions. Desperate for help, she ended up in a hospital emergency department on New Year's Eve 2015. Even then, she was sent away multiple times because psychiatric care was not available.

"To be stuck in an emergency department with nowhere to go is a devastating experience far too many people face, and I cannot imagine a child or their parent going through that.”
- Emerald Forcier

“I remember what it was like when I had reached my rock bottom and I needed inpatient services. I also remember the fear and helplessness of being stuck in the emergency department, unable to access the care I needed. I frankly cannot even imagine the terror and the sadness of experiencing both of these things at once. The day a person needs inpatient care is one of the worst days of their life. To be stuck in an emergency department with nowhere to go is a devastating experience far too many people face, and I cannot imagine a child or their parent going through that.”

Forcier's experience is unfortunately all too common. Across Maine, there simply are not enough inpatient beds and people who end up in crisis situations turn to hospital emergency departments.

Scott Oxley, MBA, President, Northern Light Acadia Hospital (right) speaks with Dwane Albert, Facilities Project Manager, Northern Light Health (left) during a site visit.

Nadia Mendiola, MD, Northern Light Acadia Hospital

“It's particularly troubling when it's children who get stuck in these emergency departments for several weeks, or even months, waiting for an inpatient bed.”
- Nadia Mendiola, MD

Nadia Mendiola, MD, an adolescent psychiatrist at Northern Light Acadia Hospital, sees it all too often. She says it's particularly troubling when children get stuck in these emergency departments for several weeks, or even months, waiting for an inpatient bed. “Emergency care physicians, they're wonderful at their job but they're not psychiatrists. They have limited options, they have limited space, and you're talking about kids who can't even function in a big home or a big school and now you're confining them to a little spot. It's just not conducive to good care.”

Donors have given generously to the Acadia for All campaign including the Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation which donated one million dollars.

This is one of the reasons why Northern Light Acadia Hospital is undertaking an ambitious expansion project to double the number of its single occupancy rooms. The 50,000 square feet expansion will add 50 pediatric inpatient rooms as well as new group and individual treatment spaces. The 50 existing inpatient rooms are being remodeled to single occupancy, adult inpatient rooms to better meet current behavioral healthcare standards.

Acadia President Scott Oxley knows the expansion is needed. “Unfortunately, the kids we see today are sicker than they were 30 years ago, so we need more circulation space, more room for group therapies. And really, our existing facility does not accommodate that,” shares Oxley.

In addition to the new inpatient rooms, there will also be an expansion of the Mood and Memory clinic for patients with Alzheimer's disease and dementia, and an endowment created for workforce development, recruitment, and retention. All this work requires substantial investment, and Oxley says community support thus far has been exceptional.

“Long term, the key to our success is early detection, early intervention, keeping folks in their communities, and keeping them out of the highest level of care. The reality is there's such a shortage of inpatient beds, that the need is urgent for inpatient beds while we work strategically and collaboratively on the longer-term plan.”

Learn more about the Acadia for All Capital Campaign

Bingo!

How's your heart health?

Watch This Story

Northern Light Health is offering a new option to patients like Beverly Fowler, so they can monitor their congestive heart failure and correct course before needing hospitalization.

Beverly Fowler is her name and Bingo is her game. Every Monday and Wednesday, Fowler leaves her Bangor apartment and heads to the Bangor Elks Lodge to have lunch with friends, play a few card games, and set up for evening Bingo. “Usually on a Monday night, we get between 80 and 100 people, which is a good, good evening. Some winter nights, if it's snowing or something, we only get about 70, but that's still pretty good,” she says. Fowler also plays Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays. “Saturday is a free day,” she says with a chuckle.

At 83 years old, Fowler enjoys staying active and socializing, but managing her congestive heart failure was slowing her down. “I kept filling up with fluids and ending up in the hospital for a week at a time. That's happened three or four times,” says Fowler.

Alan Jansujwicz, MD, general cardiologist and director of Northern Light Cardiovascular Care is working to improve the quality of life of patients like Beverly by keeping them out of the hospital. “We know patients with heart failure end up being hospitalized over the course of time and each hospitalization matters. The statistics say that if you're hospitalized with heart failure, over the next six months to a year, your risk of not doing well is higher than before you were hospitalized,” says Dr. Jansujwicz.

“I kept filling up with fluids and ending up in the hospital for a week at a time.”
- Beverly Fowler

Fowler says the device is indeed working. She thinks it's kept her out of the hospital at least five times so far and she's had it for less than a year.

Twin brothers Harold and Carrol Gurney go through their pre-game rituals. They are regulars at the Elks Lodge Bingo games.

Now, Northern Light Health is offering a new option to patients like Fowler, so they can monitor their condition and correct course before needing hospitalization. A remote monitoring device is implanted in the patient's pulmonary artery through a blood vessel in the groin. It measures pulmonary artery pressure and sends information to a receiver that resembles a giant pillow, which the patient lays on to take daily readings. The receiver records and sends the information to a secure website where a patient care manager like Janet Glidden, RN, BSN, MBA, reviews it. If Glidden sees troubling changes in a patient's numbers, she can call them and talk about what's happening. “I'll look at their readings, and if I see they are ranging up, I'll call. They may not feel like there's any change, but I'll say, ‘Your numbers are up. What did you do differently yesterday?' It almost always relates to diet or having too many fluids,” Glidden shares.

“If the pressure's going up, it tells us the patient might be heading toward heart failure. Maybe we can stop that before it happens by increasing their therapies as opposed to them just slowly slipping into heart failure, getting past that early detection point, and ending up in the emergency department or hospitalized,” adds Dr. Jansujwicz.

“The statistics say that if you're hospitalized with heart failure, over the next six months to a year, your risk of not doing well is higher than it was before you were hospitalized.”
- Alan Jansujwicz, MD

Fowler says the device is indeed working, she thinks it's kept her out of the hospital at least five times so far and she's had it for less than a year. It does require the patient to commit to taking a daily reading, every week of the year — even when traveling. For Fowler, it's a necessary inconvenience that keeps her out of the hospital so she can spend her time where she wants to be, which most days, is at bingo.

Beverly Fowler is getting her daily reading from her cardiac monitoring device.

Yes, Please

Self-Scheduling for busy people

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For Tadlock, less time on the phone and more time with her family is something to be celebrated, “It's a game changer for busy families for sure.”

Emily Tadlock is a busy working mom with a blended family that includes her partner, Jim Bertolino, his three children, James 16, Isabella 14, Ruby six, and their infant daughter, six-month-old Elena. A typical day starts preparing formula and getting diapers changed, making breakfast and packing lunches, and getting kids to school and daycare. Then, it's time to work a full day, and juggle after school pickups and activities such as theater practice or track practice. “It's nonstop. There's always something going on,” shares Tadlock. While Tadlock and Bertolino are tech savvy (he's a software engineer and she's a marketing manager for Northern Light Health), they use a very low-tech, giant white-board calendar in their kitchen to help keep all six schedules straight. “We try to keep track of meals and our grocery list on there, too. If we don't have any more chocolate milk or we're almost out, we write it down there.”

With so much going on in their daily lives, flexibility is something they covet. Tadlock is a big fan of Northern Light Health's new online self-scheduling tool for pediatric and primary care appointments. “A lot of times when I call a doctor's office, I have to sit down in front of my calendar to compare with their calendar. They have to say, okay, we have this time. Nope, that doesn't work. Okay, we have this time; that doesn't work either. Whereas with this, I can just pull it up and see what's open and it's easy for me to go, ‘Oh this is the perfect time; here it is.' Even if I get distracted; if Ruby comes over and asks me for a paper towel or whatever, I can still come right back to it. I don't have to try to hold her off while I'm on the phone.”

“Self-scheduling is a splendid way for us to bring healthcare to patients. We can provide care how patients want it, when they want it, and where they want it. Self-scheduling is one of the basic tenets of all things going forward.”
- Darmita Wilson, Vice President of Operations, Northern Light Health Medical Group

Mary Archdeacon, a patient service representative at Northern Light Pediatric Care in Bangor agrees scheduling takes a lot of time. “If somebody calls with three kids to schedule three well child visits, that's a long time on the phone, and we could be doing other tasks such as answering patient questions,” shares Archdeacon.

Emily Tadlock checks Elena in for her appointment at Northern Light Pediatric Care in Bangor.

Darmita Wilson, vice president of operations for the Northern Light Medical Group says self-scheduling is just one of the new digital offerings designed to improve patient access and experience, staff experience, and employee job satisfaction.

Self-scheduling is just one of the new digital offerings designed to improve patient access and experience, staff experience, and employee job satisfaction.

“It is a splendid way for us to bring healthcare to patients. We can provide care how patients want it, when they want it, and where they want it. Self-scheduling is one of the basic tenets all of things going forward,” shares Wilson. Other digital experience applications allow patients to fill out their paperwork electronically before coming to the medical practice, saving time in reception.

Northern Light Health offers selfscheduling for many pediatric and adult primary care visits, as well as screening mammograms at most locations. Current patients can get to the tool through the patient portal, but even new patients can schedule appointments online using the Provider Finder or the Schedule an Appointment links found on Northern Light Health websites. “Access is what Northern Light is really all about,” adds Wilson.

For Tadlock, less time on the phone and more time with her family is something to be celebrated. “It's a game changer for busy families for sure.”

Darlene Ouellette

A Different Kind of Pharmacist

Are you in control of your diabetes?

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Darlene Ouellette is a retired schoolteacher who often put her health needs behind the rest of her family. Caring for her children, including a son with autism, was her priority. On a recent visit with her primary care provider, who happened to be a former student, she had a frank conversation about her health.

Jessica Bates, PharmD, is not the type of pharmacist that you visit in a retail pharmacy and have a conversation with while picking up medications. Bates is an ambulatory care pharmacist.

Jessica Bates, PharmD, Northern Light Pharmacy

“I felt very comfortable talking to my provider about what was going on in my life, the stress levels and everything. She said she was concerned; she said, ‘Would you mind talking with Jessica, our pharmacist, and we'll see where we can go with it?' I said, Sure. I knew at that point I had to do something,” recalls Ouellette, who was struggling to keep her blood pressure and diabetes in check.

What Ouellette, did not realize, was that Jessica Bates, PharmD, is not the type of pharmacist that you visit in a retail pharmacy and have a conversation with while picking up medications. Bates is an ambulatory care pharmacist.

“Primary care practitioners refer patients to meet with me for a variety of reasons ranging from diabetes to high blood pressure to medication management. I work directly with the practitioner which allows me to adjust people's medication and provide education about their medications. I also review their medication list for drug interactions and streamline their therapy to ensure they're on the optimal medications,” shares Bates. “But limiting the number of medications they have to take is the primary goal.”

Patients like Ouellette, meet with Bates in her office, typically for 20-40 minutes. The discussion is primarily about medications and Bates says she can learn a lot about her patients in those meetings that she can share with the primary care practitioners in addition to information she learns about new and existing medications.

“We have monthly meetings, and I usually provide updates for them about clinical guideline changes, new and emerging therapies, or clinical trials that have been published. This relationship is mutually beneficial for the provider, for me, and ultimately the patients,” says Bates.

“If people come up to me and say, what are you doing? I tell them it's a collaboration between me, my pharmacist, and my physician. We talk all together. It makes it so much easier to know everyone's on the same page.”
- Darlene Ouellette

Ouellette is a huge fan of this added level of collaboration and care. After ignoring her own medical needs for so long, she's now making progress, is more careful about her diet, and goes for walks every day.

Ouellette is a huge fan of this added level of collaboration and care. After ignoring her own medical needs for so long, she's now making progress. She is more careful about her diet and goes for walks every day. She says Bates helped get her blood pressure medications adjusted and her diabetes in check.

“If people come up to me and say, what are you doing? I tell them it's a collaboration between me, my pharmacist, and my physician. We talk all together. It makes it so much easier to know everyone's on the same page. They want to do what's right for you, and they want to try to make sure you're doing well in terms of not only your physical health but your mental health too!”

Keeping it Local

How was your trip to see us?

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Nearly 20 years ago, Gavin Ducker, MD, joined Northern Light Health to become what he calls a country doctor. Since that time, Dr. Ducker has provided primary care to thousands of patients in towns throughout central Maine at Northern Light Primary Care in Waterville. He's made the wellness of others his professional commitment and has seen the importance and benefits of screenings for the early detection of lung cancer. He also knows the importance of keeping care close to home. “Over the years, I've had many patients die from lung cancer. It's a sad moment, and I've often wondered how we could have effectively detected those cancers early on to try and cure them. Despite years and years of research, we've never come up with an effective way of doing that until about six or seven years ago.”

“Having this program is so important because early-stage lung cancer is asymptomatic. A lot of the cancers we find are people who just came in for their normal scan, had no symptoms, and didn't even realize they were walking around with this cancerous lung nodule in them.”
- Amy McClary

When it comes to lung cancer, early detection is key. Seventy-five percent of cancer cases in Maine are detected too late and, as a result, are less likely to be curable. So, when Dr. Ducker has a patient who may qualify for Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center's Lung Cancer Screening Program, patient navigator Amy McClary, RN, steps in. The Lung Cancer Screening Program is helping patients discover potential issues earlier, resulting in more treatment options, and leading to brighter and better outcomes. To make the process more convenient for people in rural areas, Eastern Maine Medical Center partners with hospitals in smaller communities, allowing patients to have a low-dose CT scan done closer to home. Once complete, Amy and her team take it from there, handling everything from tracking appointments to working with the patient's local primary care provider, like Dr. Ducker.

The Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center Lung Cancer Screening Program is helping patients discover potential issues earlier, resulting in more treatment options, and leading to brighter and better outcomes.

Each of our member hospitals who can do a low dose CT scan now offers screenings to patients locally and gets them into the program. Ryan Saucier, BS, RDMS, RT(R), CRA, director of Medical Imaging at Northern Light Inland Hospital has witnessed firsthand how the collaboration helps patients stay close to home.

“Having this program is so important because early-stage lung cancer is asymptomatic. A lot of the cancers we find are people who just came in for their normal scan, had no symptoms, and didn't even realize they were walking around with this cancerous lung nodule in them. The symptoms for lung cancer don't appear until very late stage when there are fewer treatment options available,” explains McClary.

Ryan Saucier, BS, RDMS, RT(R), CRA, director of Medical Imaging at Northern Light Inland Hospital has witnessed first-hand how the collaboration helps patients stay close to home. Instead of driving to Bangor for a five minute scan, patients are scanned with state-of-the-art equipment right at Inland Hospital. “When I think of providing this service to the community and the potential to make a difference in catching a cancer that 75 percent of the time is found too late, it's a wonderful opportunity to make a difference in someone's life by participating in this kind of work. I ask myself, ‘how do we find a way to serve our patients in a meaningful way?' And this is a great way that we're able to do it, and it feels good.”

Amy McClary, RN can guide patients from across Northern Light Health through their care plan.

“The National Institutes of Health finally came up with a program that involves low dose CT scanning, they published the data about six or seven years ago. We've mimicked exactly what they do here at our lung cancer screening program. Each of our member hospitals who can do a low dose CT scan now offer screening to patients locally and get them into the program. It's a big step forward,” adds Dr. Ducker.

Learn more about eligibility requirements for the Lung Cancer Screening Program

Breathing Easier

Can we bring care closer to you?

Watch This Story

When Crowley was offered an opportunity to get a lung cancer screening as part of a clinical research trial through the joint efforts of the Portland Fire Department, Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), and Northern Light Mercy Hospital, he didn't need much convincing.

Portland Fire Lieutenant Dave Crowley keeps a watchful eye as he steams across Casco Bay and patrols the islands and mainland looking for any signs of trouble from boaters, fishermen, or island residents. As a lieutenant, he's responsible for the operation of the boat and the safety of the crew. Saving lives is the job he signed up for. He's rescued stranded boaters and shuttled injured islanders to mainland hospitals. “When I started working on the fire boat, one of my first calls was for Cliff Island, which is eight miles out and about a half hour run. The call was for an eight-year-old child who fell out of a tree. Female, unconscious, not breathing. And, I know it's my kid.”

It was one of the scariest calls he would answer in his years on the fireboat. Fortunately, his daughter's injuries were not as severe as they initially appeared, and she ended up recovering fully. Crowley admits that while he's looking out for the well-being of others, he's not always been that good about taking care of his own healthcare needs. “My wife pushes me to do a better job of it,” shares Crowley.

One thing he is a big fan of is getting something for free. When he was offered an opportunity to get a lung cancer screening as part of a clinical research trial through the joint efforts of the Portland Fire Department, Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), and Northern Light Mercy Hospital, he didn't need much convincing. The Portland Fire Department used federal funding earmarked for firefighter wellness initiatives to pay for 50 of its firefighters to get lung scans. Through a clinical affiliation agreement with Northern Light Health, firefighters like Dave Crowley were able to get their screenings done right at Mercy Hospital in Portland, who then shared that information with researchers at MGH. Because it didn't cost Crowley anything and it was convenient, he was on board. “I thought it's free, you know, and I've got Scottish blood in me and if I'm going to get something that somebody else is paying for, I'm in line.”

Crowley says the whole process was quick. “It took me longer to get to Mercy Fore River from Commercial Street than it did to do the scan, including the check-in and everything. It was painless. You lie down on the table, put your arms up over your head, hold your breath, and then they run you through the machine twice and you're done.” The decision to get the free screening proved to be a critically important one for Crowley. His screening detected a small spot on his lung. “That was an eye opener; you know, it shows us our mortality,” he said.

“It took me longer to get to Mercy Fore River from Commercial Street than it did to do the scan, including the check-in and everything. It was painless.”
- Dave Crowley

The spot was caught very early so the plan for Crowley is to go back to Northern Light Mercy Hospital every three months for another scan to see if the spot grows any larger. If it does, he will assess his options with his care team but, because they detected this spot, Crowley says the prognosis is very good.

The decision to get the free screening proved to be a critically important one for Crowley. His screening detected a small spot on his lung. Because they detected this spot the prognosis is very good.

“They go in with a small scope and pluck it out. Most people don't even have shortness of breath afterwards,” Crowley said. But if he hadn't had this screening and the spot was cancerous and went undetected, he could have easily been another lung cancer statistic. While he doesn't dwell upon that, he does acknowledge the effect of having this new piece of health information.

“Even the bad news is good news. It's virtually a 100 percent chance of survival. You don't get that for a root canal,” he laughs. “My theory of the way I live my life is you should never be so afraid of dying that you're afraid to live. I still do everything I've done before.”

Philanthropy

Northern Light Health Foundation

Northern Light Health, Investing in Care for the Future of Maine with the Help of Donor Support

With the help of generous and committed community members and corporate partners, Northern Light Health is making good on its promise to make healthcare work for you.

Northern Light CA Dean new hospital construction.

2022 will be remembered as a year where communities across Maine came together to invest in the future of healthcare for all Mainers. In Greenville and Blue Hill, Northern Light CA Dean and Blue Hill Hospitals broke ground on brand new hospital buildings, designed with private inpatient rooms and 24/7 emergency departments. With new, modern layouts, these facilities are designed to ensure that care teams can make the most of space and equipment, to provide the best care possible for patients.

Northern Light Mercy new Fore River campus.

In Ellsworth, Northern Light Maine Coast Hospital opened a spacious, family-focused birthing center – ready to welcome future generations to the down east region. A two-phase project, the hospital's former obstetrics space will soon be renovated, becoming inpatient rooms that offer enhanced privacy for patients to rest and heal.

Northern Light Acadia Hospital's behavioral health services have statewide reach, thanks to telehealth and embedded providers at Northern Light Health member facilities, but the need for inpatient care has outgrown the physical hospital space in Bangor. In 2022, Northern Light Acadia Hospital broke ground on their much-needed expansion, to increase the number of pediatric inpatient rooms and treatment areas, and update adult inpatient rooms for single occupancy.

January 2023 celebrates one year of One Mercy! We're happy to provide one expanded healthcare campus along the Fore River Parkway.

Learn more about how you can support ongoing building campaigns

Statewide Support for Cancer Care

Sadly, cancer will touch most of our lives in some way, as a patient, as a family member, or as a friend. Northern Light Cancer Care is committed to providing services for cancer patients throughout Maine. We are grateful for the generous individuals who are stepping up to support these programs.

Philanthropy in Action

Northern Light Health Hospital Campaigns
Blue Hill

Included in the project: A new main hospital building and renovations to the Sussman Health Center

Greenville

Included in the project: A new main hospital building and renovations to the existing west wing

Ellsworth

Included in the project: A new birthing center and renovations to adult patient rooms

Bangor

Included in the project: A new pediatric wing, patient room renovations, better access to geriatric care

Learn more about how donors are supporting care in our communities

A Milestone for Champion the Cure Challenge

Register for the 2023 Champion the Cure Challenge

“It's hard to describe the cancer journey in words, but when you know the community is behind you, it's powerful. It means so much in terms of hope and healing,” says Jon Henry, a patient at Northern Light Cancer Care, explaining why he participates in Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center's annual Champion the Cure Challenge.

In August 2022, a long-time Champion the Cure Challenge enthusiast, who wishes to remain anonymous, offered to help make 2022 the first year in the event's history to raise one million dollars to support Northern Light Cancer Care. The generous donor proposed a match of every dollar raised by participants, up to $250,000, through September 30. The community rose to the challenge. By the end of September, teams and participants had well exceeded the fundraising goal for the first time in the event's 13-year history.

For people like Jon Henry, the matching challenge was an inspiration. “That prompted me to make another donation before the matching challenge ended.”

Most of the funds will go toward the purchase of a linear accelerator, which provides radiation oncology treatments. Associate vice president of Oncology at Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center, Donna Boehm says, “This milestone achievement for Champion the Cure Challenge will help ensure that world-class cancer care remains available right here in our community.”

Twenty-Eight Years of Supporting Breast Health

At Northern Light Sebasticook Valley Hospital, supporting breast health is a long-standing tradition. For nearly three decades, the community has rallied together to raise money to support breast health services at Northern Light Women's Health in Pittsfield.

Schedule a Screening Mammogram

Cancer Survivorship

People who have lived with cancer know treatment is only the beginning of their cancer journey. Northern Light Health's survivorship programs, which include teams of specialists such as physical therapists, nutritionists, and social workers, surround patients with holistic resources and support as they move into the next stage of their cancer journey.

Northern Light Mercy Hospital's survivorship program was created through the generosity of the Tallen Kane Foundation. Last fall, the hospital hosted special virtual events to help connect cancer patients and their families to wellness resources and support. “We are grateful to the Tallen Kane Foundation for their generous support in helping us increase access to vital resources and information for our patients and their families,” says Charlie Therrien, president of Northern Light Mercy Hospital.

Giving by Organization

Acadia Hospital $656,602.25
AR Gould Hospital $162,573.51
Blue Hill Hospital $5,035,345.08
CA Dean Hospital $1,139,530.23
Eastern Maine Medical Center $3,247,306.51
EMMC Children's Miracle Network Hospitals $333,709.59
Home Care & Hospice $442,125.54
Inland Hospital $296,451.98
Maine Coast Hospital $4,027,685.24
Mayo Hospital $74,334.06
Mercy Hospital $3,117,140.83
Northern Light Health Foundation $164,793.38
Sebasticook Valley Hospital $110,756.24
Total $18,808,354.44

Community Benefit

Are You Eating OK?

Matt Dexter was 13 years old when his mom headed off for what was supposed to be a routine checkup with her doctor. Seven months later, in April of 2008, Matt's mother died of stomach cancer. “She was our family's rock and a generous person. When she was diagnosed with cancer she changed dramatically. She lost weight, and barely spoke to any family or friends. It really shook my sister, my dad, and me,” Dexter recalls.

When he attended college at University of Maine in 2014, Dexter already had a solid foundation for community service, something his mom instilled in him at a young age. An avid runner, he organized a fundraiser road race in his mother's honor and called it the Eastern Trek for Cancer. “It started off very, very simple—raise funds, give them out, have a good time. I quickly realized service to others is what I was meant to do, and that is how the Christine B. Foundation (CBF) got its start.”

Learn more about our Community Benefit Reports

Total Community Investment by Category

Community Health Improvement Services $1,688,553
Health Professions Education $2,014,444
Research $1,263,109
Cash and In-Kind Contributions $250,058
Community Building Activities $551,469
Community Benefit Operations $1,798,788
Traditional Charity Care $13,996,429
Unpaid Cost of Public Programs
Medicaid $112,656,916
Medicare $208,557,110
Total Systemwide $342,776,876

From its humble beginnings as a college student's road race in his mother's name, CBF has transformed into a non-profit agency that provides nutrition assistance to cancer patients across Maine. “We have supported more than 1,300 Mainers and provided nearly 300,000 medically tailored meals. We work with 120 volunteers every week. We're headquartered in Bangor and reach people over 11,000 square miles of the state, which is magical with only two staff,” explains Dexter, who serves as executive director of CBF.

The Christine B. Foundation partners with agencies, government, colleges, universities, hospitals, and healthcare systems, including Northern Light Health, to provide meal assistance to cancer patients.

Christine B. Foundation Executive Director Matt Dexter, Manager Brian Ross, and volunteers Rebecca Dauphinee and Dan Bahr deliver food for patients at the Lafayette Family Cancer Institute.

“For patients recovering from cancer, a nutritious diet is vitally important. Having the opportunity to provide nutritious meals at no cost to our patients, especially with food prices so high, goes a long way to help us heal those in need in our communities,” shares Kate Fergola, community health specialist, Northern Light Mayo Hospital.

Northern Light Health recently awarded CBF a $10,000 community benefit grant. “The Christine B. Foundation and their amazing team of volunteers bring nutritious food and a caring personal connection to people living with cancer. We are proud to support the growth of their home delivery network improving food equity and access for people in rural Maine communities,” shares Doug Michael, MPH, associate vice president, chief community health and grants officer, Northern Light Health.

Matt Dexter is grateful to have community partners like Northern Light Health support CBF's mission.

Learn more about Christine B. Foundation

Find Help and Other Resources

Northern Light Health Member Community Benefit

Northern Light Acadia Hospital $12,948,815
Northern Light AR Gould Hospital $18,778,272
Northern Light Blue Hill Hospital $4,883,678
Northern Light CA Dean Hospital $129,640
Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center $227,976,812
Northern Light Home Care & Hospice $423,576
Northern Light Inland Hospital $13,117,525
Northern Light Maine Coast Hospital $13,105,471
Northern Light Mayo Hospital $662,439
Northern Light Mercy Hospital $49,878,565
Northern Light Health Home Office $462,944
Northern Light Sebasticook Valley Hospital $409,139

Financials

Consolidated Balance Sheets

Years Ended September 30, 2022 and 2021
Assets 2022 2021
Total Current Assets $534,651 $764,553
Assets Limited as to Use
Capital Replacement & Other Designated Uses $327,121 $403,255
Self Insurance Funds & Other Trusts $47,559 $57,814
Donor Restricted Gifts $92,514 $97,182
Total Assets Limited as to Use $467,194 $558,251
Property & Equipment, NET $829,522 $795,667
Other Long-Term Assets $62,748 $62,136
 
Total Assets $1,894,115 $2,180,607

(In thousands of dollars)

Liabilities 2022 2021
Total Current Liabilities $404,718 $506,407
Accrued Post-Employment Benefits $229,948 $259,423
Long-Term Debt $552,831 $568,914
Other Long-Term Liabilities $10,138 $5,690
Total Liabilities $1,197,635 $1,340,434
Total NET Assets $696,480 $840,173
Total liabilities & NET Assets $1,894,115 $2,180,607

(In thousands of dollars)

Consolidated Statements of Operation

Years Ended September 30, 2022 and 2021
2022 2021
Net Operating Revenue $2,006,106 $2,027,076
Operating Expenses
Salaries & Employee Benefits $1,136,355 $1,128,103
Supplies & Other $1,001,468 $841,815
Total Expenses $2,137,823 $1,969,918
(Loss) Income from Operations ($131,717) $57,158)
Investment Gains & (Losses) ($46,318) $27,468
(Deficiency) Excess of Revenue and Gains Over Expenses and Losses ($178,035) $84,626
Noncontrolling Interest - 2
(Deficiency) Excess of Revenue and Gains Over Expenses and Losses - Controlling Interest ($178,035) $84,628
Operating Margin -6.57% 2.82%
Total Margin -9.08% 4.12%
Reinvestment in Clinical Equipment, Technological Advancements & Facilities $85,896 $98,176

(In thousands of dollars)

Who We Are

1
Home Care & Hospice Organization
1
Integrated Physician Organization
6
Emergency Transport Members
8
Nursing Homes
7
Joint Ventures
10
Hospitals
44
Primary Care Practices
743
Available Acute Care Beds
12,018
Employees

What We Do

396,333
Primary Care Visits
26,799
Inpatient Admissions
4,587
Observation Admissions
3,008
Births
6,611
Inpatient Surgical Cases
25,990
Outpatient Surgical Cases
396,842
Imaging Procedures
13,561
Inpatient Emergency Department Visits
97,153
Outpatient Emergency Department Visits
418
Cardiac Surgeries
2,470,301
Outpatient Visits
290,769
Telehealth Visits
140,482
Home Health & Hospice Patient Visits

Joint Ventures

County Physical Therapy, LLC
LifeFlight of Maine, LLC
LTC, LLC
MedComm, LLC
New Century Healthcare, LLC
Penobscot Logistics Solutions, LLC
Uniship Courier Services, LLC

LifeFlight of Maine

Towns Responded to for Scene Calls 99
Total Scene Calls 198
Fixed Wing Air Transports 329
Traumatic Injury Transports 413
Ground Transports 666
Helicopter Air Transports 1,329

Northern Light Medical Transport

Towns / Townships / Unorganized Territories in Response Area 100
Wheelchair Van Transports 3,623
Patients Transported 18,612

About Us

Our Mission

We improve the health of the people and communities we serve.

Our Vision

Northern Light Health will be a leader in healthcare excellence.

Our Values

To accomplish its mission and vision, Northern Light Health will embrace the values of integrity, respect, compassion, and accountability.
Our Values

Integrity

We commit to the highest standards of behavior and doing the correct thing for the right reasons.

Respect

We respect the dignity, worth, and rights of others.

Compassion

We deliver care focused on the needs of each person and guide families and individuals through the experience with kindness and professionalism.

Accountability

We take a responsible and disciplined approach to achieving our priorities and responding to an everchanging environment.

Our Members

Map of Northern Light Health Member Organizations

*In December 2022, Quest Diagnostics acquired select assets of Northern Light Laboratory.

*Northern Light Laboratory also has a location in Rutland, Vermont.

Contact Us

Northern Light Health

43 Whiting Hill Rd, Brewer, ME 04412
Download AR 2022
Get in Touch