Emergency Department Quality Outcomes Reassurance Letter

October 5, 2026

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Our Emergency Department is safe, well-staffed, and delivers high-quality care, and the Board of Trustees wants you to hear that directly from us. Over the last week, some members of our community have heard statements suggesting otherwise. We take every concern about patient safety seriously, and we have looked closely at the facts. They tell a clear and reassuring story, and we want to share it with you. 

The Board receives regular updates from the management team on our performance regarding our quality outcomes for the entire organization, which includes the Emergency Department.  In addition, four of our Board Members are members of the hospital’s quality and safety committee which meets bi-monthly.  Our quality and safety indicators, which measure how safely and effectively patients are cared for, consistently meet or exceed state and national benchmarks. 

Our ER is also well staffed. Staffing levels are planned around patient volume and acuity, reviewed every shift, and adjusted when needs change. We are proud of the physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, and support staff who make that possible every day and every night. 

Safety at our hospital is not left to chance. Every day, leaders gather for a safety huddle to review the past and future 24 hours, identify risks, and act on them before they become problems. Any employee can report an unsafe condition through our internal reporting system, and every report is reviewed and followed up on. Staff also have a separate, established process for raising workplace concerns, so that issues are heard and addressed by the people who can fix them.

We deeply respect our nurses. They are an integral part of the patient care delivery model. That is exactly why these safety and reporting systems exist. We encourage any staff member with a concern to bring it forward through appropriate channels so it can be reviewed and resolved. However, the claim that our Emergency Department is unsafe is not supported by our data, our oversight, or most importantly our quality outcomes. 

The Board of Trustees fully supports Jeff Zewe and our administrative team. Their leadership has kept patient safety and quality at the center of every decision, and the results show it. In addition, we have vastly improved our financial position since 2021 and continue to trend in a positive direction, towards long term financial stability   We have confidence in their direction and in the dedicated people who carry out our mission every day.

This hospital belongs to our local communities. When you or your loved ones come through our Emergency Department doors, you can trust that you will receive safe, skilled, and compassionate care.

With gratitude and commitment,

Northern Maine Medical Center
Board of Trustees