Quality Analysis Charts
Peer Groups
Maine Hospital Quality Snapshots

List of Charts

MQF Variation Data Based on MHDO's Inpatient (Discharge) Data Set for 2002-2007

Maine Hospital Quality Snapshots

Geographical Medical Variation Charts

Maine has been divided into 32 regions known as healthcare service areas (also called Hospital Service Areas) based upon hospital towns and locations where most people receive their hospital-based services. The maps you see are showing differences (statistically significant) between different HSAs in the state. The maps are organized by procedure (e.g. lumbar fusion surgery) or by admission to hospitals for particular medical conditions (e.g. digestive medicine).

For example, if you select Lumbar Fusion Procedures you will see that the Lewiston Spine Service Area is consistently higher than expected. Because this consistent pattern may indicate a treatment philosophy that favors lumbar fusion for back pain those who received their care for low back pain in this region appear far more likely to have lumbar fusion recommended. If you or a loved one are suffering with low back pain and you live in this area you may wish to receive your second opinion from a provider within a different region.

Variation in admission rates for medical conditions is different. Generally, these admissions are related to chronic illnesses that can be managed successfully outside of hospitals. In regions where the admission rates consistently are higher than expected the Maine Quality Forum suggests that the communities in those HSAs begin discussions about why? A great place to start these conversations is with local Healthy Maine Partnerships, business organizations, service organizations, and chronic illness support groups. Of course, another great place to start is with your primary care provider.

The data is all obtained in these charts from the hospital inpatient discharge database maintained by the Maine Health Data Organization. MHDO Website

We have presented all of the variation charts in the same way. The title describes the surgical procedure or activity displayed in the chart and the date range for the information listed.

The vertical axis lists the HSAs or the Specialty Care Regions. We do not use the York HSA because too many citizens of that area get their care in New Hampshire. Therefore, for York this method does not work.

For variation charts, the horizontal axis is the percent difference or variation of each HSA from the state mean or average (at 0%). Positive differences are shown in bars to the right of 0% and negative differences are shown to the left of 0%.

For rate charts, the bars represent the rate for the HSA or Speciality Care Region and a vertical line marks the Maine state average rate. Labels on bars indicate the 95% confidence intervals for area rates (or the highest or lowest their actual rates might be when you take into account random errors in sampling that might affect estimations of rates).

For an overview of how to read our Medical Variation Charts, click here.

Quality Analysis Charts

We have presented all of the quality analysis charts in the same way. The title describes the topic and the year of the data. The vertical axis is the rate of the topic presented. We use confidence intervals in these charts. Larger confidence intervals suggest smaller sample sizes or fewer hospitals in the peer group in these charts. The blue horizontal lines represent the state average confidence intervals. To be comfortable saying that a data point is truly different from the state mean the confidence intervals cannot overlap.

For an overview of how to read our Quality Analysis Charts, click here.

MHA Hospital Peer Groups

The peer groups were established by the Maine Hospital Association. These were considered to be groups of similar type hospitals.

Peer Group	Hospital	Location	Beds
Peer Group A	Central Maine Medical Center Eastern Maine Medical Center MaineGeneral Medical Center Maine Medical Center	Lewiston Bangor Augusta/Waterville Portland	250 411 287 606
Peer Group B	Aroostook Medical Center Mercy Hospital Mid Coast Hospital Penobscot Bay Medical Center Southern Maine Medical Center St. Joseph Hospital St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center York Hospital	Presque Isle/Fort Fairfield Portland/Westbrook Brunswick Rockport Biddeford Bangor Lewiston York	105 230 104 109 150 112 233 66
Peer Group C	Cary Medical Center Franklin Memorial Hospital Goodall Hospital Maine Coast Memorial Hospital	Caribou Farmington Sanford Ellsworth	65 70 49 64
Peer Group D	Inland Hospital Miles Memorial Hospital Northern Maine Medical Center Parkview Adventist Medical Center Stephens Memorial	Waterville Damariscotta  Fort Kent Brunswick Norway	48 35 49 55 50
Peer Group E	Blue Hill Memorial Hospital Bridgton Hospital Calais Regional Hospital Charles A. Dean Memorial Hospital Down East Community Houlton Regional Hospital Mayo Regional Hospital Millinocket Regional Hospital Mount Desert Island Hospital Penobscot Valley Hospital Redington-Fairview General Hospital Rumford Hospital St. Andrews Hospital Sebasticook Valley Hospital Waldo County General Hospital	Blue Hill Bridgton Calais Greenville Machias Houlton Dover-Foxcroft Millinocket Bar Harbor Lincoln Skowhegan Rumford Boothbay Harbor Pittsfield Belfast	25 25 25 14 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25
Peer Group F	Acadia Hospital Spring Harbor Hospital	Bangor South Portland	100 111
Peer Group G	New England Rehabilitation Hospital	Portland	100

List of Charts & Corresponding Tables Click on the Chart Description to review chart information.
I. Variation
Chart	Chart Description
1	Lumbar Fusion Procedures
2	Lumbar Disc Surgery Without Fusion
3	Back and Neck Procedures
4	Total Knee Replacement
5	Total Hip Replacement
6	Hysterectomy
7	Carotid Endarterectomy
8	Adult Medical Conditions
9	Cardiology Medicine
10	General Digestive Medicine
11	Respiratory Medicine
II. Quality Analysis
Chart	Chart Description
12	Ambulatory Care Sensitive Condition (ACSC) for 2001 and 2002
13	Average Severity Adjusted Mortality Rates By Hospital Peer Group for 2001
14	Average Severity Adjusted Adverse Effects By Hospital Peer Group for 2001
15	Average Severity Adjusted Wound Infections By Hospital Peer Group for 2001
16	Average Severity Adjusted Pneumonia Post Surgery By Hospital Peer Group for 2001
17	Average Severity Adjusted Urinary Tract Infections By Hospital Peer Group for 2001
18	Average Severity Adjusted Mechanical Complications By Hospital Peer Group for 2001
19	Average Severity Adjusted Pulmonary Compromise By Hospital Peer Group for 2001
20	Average Severity Adjusted OB Complications By Hospital Peer Group for 2001
21	Average Severity Adjusted Mortality Rates By Hospital Peer Group for 2002
22	Average Severity Adjusted Adverse Effects By Hospital Peer Group for 2002
23	Average Severity Adjusted Wound Infections By Hospital Peer Group for 2002
24	Average Severity Adjusted Pneumonia Post Surgery By Hospital Peer Group for 2002
25	Average Severity Adjusted Urinary Tract Infections By Hospital Peer Group for 2002
26	Average Severity Adjusted Mechanical Complications By Hospital Peer Group for 2002
27	Average Severity Adjusted Pulmonary Compromise By Hospital Peer Group for 2002
28	Average Severity Adjusted OB Complications By Hospital Peer Group for 2002
III.  Disease Burden
Chart	Chart Description
29	Variation in Admission Rates for Adult Medical Conditions and Prevalence of High Blood Pressure by Hospital Service Area, Maine
30	Variation in Admission Rates for Adult Medical Conditions and Prevalence of High Cholesterol by Hospital Service Area, Maine
31	Variation in Admission Rates for Adult Medical Conditions and Prevalence of Asthma by Hospital Service Area, Maine
32	Variation in Admission Rates for Adult Medical Conditions and Prevalence of Diabetes by Hospital Service Area, Maine
IV. Demo Chart
33	Demo Quality Analysis Chart
V. Demo Chart
34	Demo Medical Variation Chart