Blue Hill Memorial Hospital is committed to improving the health of the communities we serve.  Our community outreach, as well as the services that we deliver within our hospital and practices, are shaped by our community’s needs. 

Assessing the Needs of Our Community

We identify the health needs of our community in a number of ways. First and foremost, we listen to our patients.  We also consider data, such as that collected in our Community Health Needs Assessment, which is conducted every three years.  We welcome feedback from various groups, such as the hospital’s Board of Trustees, Community Advisory Council, and Advancement Committee.  To the fullest extent possible, we respond to specific requests from our community partners, such as local schools, the Island Medical Center board, Healthy Peninsula, and the Parker Ridge Retirement Community.

Examples of Recent Community Outreach Activities

Examples of recent outreach activities include a forum on the “designer drug” called bath salts, blood pressure screenings, a men’s health overhaul, presentations on nutrition, health fairs, an annual 5K race and related wellness activities, and talks by our physicians and other providers in a variety of venues. In many cases, Blue Hill Memorial Hospital partnered with other organizations, such as The Jackson Laboratory in delivering educational programs.  We value these partnerships and our patients tell us they do as well.  As a not-for-profit hospital, we document many of these activities as a community benefit, and can even track the financial value of what we are extending at no cost to our local friends and neighbors.

Ensuring Access to Medically Necessary Care

Charity care is another example of how Blue Hill Memorial Hospital benefits our community. We work closely with patients to identify programs that will cover the cost of their care. When no coverage is available, there are assistance programs to help ensure that every patient has access to medically necessary care.

Excellence within Our Healthcare System

As a member of EMHS (Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems), we are proud to uphold “community” as one of six pillars of excellence that serve as the foundation for all that we do.  The other pillars are service, finance, people, quality, and growth.