| Form 990, Part III, Line 4d: Other Program Services Description |
OTHER PROGRAM SERVICES 4: A Leader to HeroesA good leader inspires people to have confidence in the leader; a great leader inspires people to have confidence in themselves. Eleanor Roosevelt A leader who empowers others to act decisively is precisely the type of leader a healthcare system needs during a global pandemic. As the coronavirus began forcing the state of Maine to shut down, Tim Dentry was settling in as president and CEO of Northern Light Health and facing an immediate crisis that would put his experience and leadership skills to the test. On March 24, I was offered the position. It was announced on March 25, and April 1 is when I began these responsibilities, Dentry explains. He had already been with Northern Light Health as chief operating officer for three years and was very familiar with the system. Also, he spent several years in Western Africa and the Middle East working to improve healthcare systems for Johns Hopkins University. During the Ebola outbreak, I was in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates. The Ministry of Health advised us on a Thursday that this is a big issue, and they want us to be the chosen hospital for Ebola response, and by Sunday, we had our first patient, recalls Tim. That experience helped Tim when the first case of COVID-19 appeared in Maine. By the time the state had issued stay-at-home orders, Northern Light Health had already enacted its Incident Command team and its supply chain team had already started preparing for a nationwide shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE). Information Systems and Operational Excellence teams worked to increase delivery of healthcare services through telehealth. Under Tims leadership, Northern Light Health also set up alternative care sites and COVID-19 screening sites. I spent a lot of my time doing what Im doing now, getting out and talking to staff, asking questions, understanding their challenges, dreams, aspirations, and worries. Thats a normal way for me to go about my work. If I am well-informed and connected to those I work with and those I lead, then I will be a better leader. Tim traveled to member hospitals across the state to gather insight and perspective. He visited the Intensive Care Unit at Northern Light Mercy Hospital to see staff caring for COVID-19 patients. It was an emotional moment. So inspiring to me. It gave me strength. When I went to Mercy and AR Gould, I could see the face behind the mask; the eyes behind the mask. I could see fear, and I felt that fear. I could also see determination, and I fed off of that. Tim says he adheres to a philosophy called servant leadership, which he learned early in his career while working in Catholic health systems. He says its an approach that demands humility, which is why he doesnt consider himself a hero. But Tim does believe the people he leads are heroes. Everybodys a hero who has a part to play in this, he says. We have a culture of quality and within that culture of quality is a culture of caring and within the culture of caring is a culture of caring for one another. I want people to know thats what were in the business of doing. HEROES BEHIND THE SCENES While Northern Light Health employs many direct care providers, there are many more working behind the scenes to support them. When the COVID-19 pandemic arrived in Maine, these people helped keep our front line workers and patients safe during an unprecedented public health crisis. These unsung heroes worked in such areas as supply chain, facilities management, information systems, incident command, and environmental services. Kathy Knight, RNDirector of Emergency PreparednessNorthern Light Health Whenever a natural disaster or emergency strikes, Northern Light Health is prepared, thanks in part to Kathy Knight and her teams work. It is their job to prepare, respond, and recover from emergencies. They hold training throughout the year, and know what to do in an emergency. One priority is activating an incident command structure, which streamlines communications between key decision-makers. For the first time in its history, Northern Light Health had a unified response involving all member organizations. The incident command team had to resolve several issues all at once, including a disruption of the supply chain for personal protective equipment, new work plans based on the latest CDC guidance, and an immediate ramp-up of our information systems to accommodate an increased demand for telehealth services. While there are lessons learned from every emergency, Kathy was pleased with everyones work throughout the system. I look at what we have accomplished from maximizing resources, developing a single coordinated response, delivering transparent, timely, accurate, and standardized communications to all employees, and meeting the challenges of COVID-19 head on by remaining flexible, open-minded and imaginative, and I am just amazed! Kathy Knight, RNPaula Dietrich Behavioral Health ProfessionalNorthern Light Acadia HospitalUnder normal circumstances, Paula would be assisting teachers at Northern Light Acadias Pediatric Day Treatment Program. But, when COVID-19 hit, that program was provided via teleconferencing, and Paulas services were not needed as much. I said, put me where you need me, so here is where I am. The here is the main entrance of the hospital. With a sign-in sheet, a list of questions, and a digital thermometer, her job is to screen visitors, patients, and staff. Like everything she does, Paula takes it to the next level. Ive decorated the entry with butterflies throughout, and I have a beautiful silk flower arrangement with roses and peonies. I love to play string quartet music. And, I try to be calm and welcoming and let people know that we care, explains Paula. I think of what I do as being a part of the team here, and I dont think Im any more heroic than anyone else who is here on staff. Im just doing a little part of what everyone else is doing during the day, and thats it. Paula DietrichDavid ValcikVice President, Information Systems Northern Light Health In mid-February David and the Information Systems (IS) team started testing scenarios if large numbers of employees had to work remotely. They also looked to ramp-up telehealth services. Luckily, they had already started to improve our telehealth and teleconferencing platforms. Northern Light Acadia Hospital had been using Zoom telepsychiatry. Dave and the IS team had to quickly figure out how to expand it to the rest of the system. Before COVID-19, in January, we did approximately 1,500 to 1,700 telehealth visits. By April, we ramped-up to about 34,000. The technology we put in place allowed us to provide care to our patients who could not come in, says Dave. It meant a lot of work in a short time to modify these systems. The IS team played a crucial role in allowing front line staff and support staff to continue working safely while providing exceptional care for patients. Dave, who is also a pilot of a single-engine plane, literally went above and beyond his duties and organized a three plane flyover of Northern Light Hospitals last spring to honor our employees. We do this for a reason, the same as anyone else in the organizationto take care of our patients. The frontline people need our assistance, and were proud to offer that. David Valcik Dani Reardon, CPT, CHWCWellness CoordinatorBeacon Health Dani Reardon leads a virtual fitness class for Northern Light Health employees from a bright and welcoming home gym in the finished basement of her home. They try to follow along as she calls out instructions. Music is playing in the background. We all know that physical activity helps manage stress, depression, and anxiety in addition to keeping your body well, so by offering these noon classes, they can take the class and feel better, explains Dani. I love that Im able to do this; a big part of who I am is helping others. I want people to be well. Im glad I am able to introduce different types of exercise and hopefully participants find a love for it and continue. Dani Reardon, CPT, CHWCCarla LeinoEnvironmental Services Northern Light Blue Hill Hospital Whenever a patient with COVID-19 is treated in the Emergency Department at Northern Light Blue Hill Hospital, they can take comfort in knowing that Carla Leino is on the job. Dressed from head to toe in personal protective equipment, she goes into patient rooms to clean once patients are discharged. She is armed with cleaning chemicals and wipes down every surface as she sanitizes the room from floor to ceiling. We make sure that the cleaning were doing is the best that it can be, not only to protect ourselves but anyone else that will go into the room. When the next patient is coming through the door, that room is ready for them, says Carla. I dont have a special prayer, but I talk to God every day when I leave my house, and I ask him for strength to carry-on and do what I have to do no matter how it makes me fee |
| Form 990, Part VI, Line 2: Description of Business or Family Relationship of Officers, Directors, Et |
Aram Khavan, board member is board member of Maine Community Foundation Advisory Committee and Karen Stanley, board member/officer is board member/chair of Maine Community Foundation. |
| Form 990, Part VI, Line 6: Explanation of Classes of Members or Shareholder |
Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems Foundation d/b/a Northern Light Health Foundation (the "Corporation") is a Maine nonprofit corporation. Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems d/b/a Northern Light Health (NLH), also a Maine nonprofit corporation, is the sole corporate member of the Corporation. |
| Form 990, Part VI, Line 7a: How Members or Shareholders Elect Governing Body |
Each year at their annual meeting, the directors elect replacements for those directors whose terms are expiring. Election of directors is subject to ratification by the NLH Board of Directors. |
| Form 990, Part VI, Line 7b: Describe Decisions of Governing Body Approval by Members or Shareholders |
The NLH President has authority to appoint and remove the SVP, President of the Corporation. NLH also has joint and superior authority to approve, disapprove or initiate action with respect to the following matters: I. amendments to the corporations Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws;II. changes in legal form of organization of the Corporation;III. election of the Directors/Trustees of the Corporation;IV. action concerning the Corporations operating budget and capital expenditures;V. the Corporations acquisition of assets or assumption of liabilities of an unaffiliated third party;VI. transfer of 5% or more of the assets of the Corporation;VII. financing transactions concerning the Corporation; VIII. merger, consolidation, sale, lease, mortgage, pledge or other disposition of all or substantially all assets of the Corporation; IX. action concerning the Corporations role in the NLH Strategic Plan;X. action concerning the Corporations participation in key strategic affiliations with third parties not affiliated with NLH; andXI. dissolution of the Corporation. |
| Form 990, Part VI, Line 11b: Form 990 Review Process |
Form 990 is reviewed by the VP & President of NLH Foundation. It is also provided to each board member either electronically or in hard copy with an opportunity to ask questions prior to filing with the IRS. |
| Form 990, Part VI, Line 12c: Explanation of Monitoring and Enforcement of Conflicts |
The organization requests updates of potential conflicts and relationships from the officers and Board members on an annual basis. The request requires disclosure of all business relationships, board memberships, and family relationships. A database is maintained that is compared to payroll records and the accounts payable vendor list to identify any potential conflicts of interest. Transactions are reviewed for reasonableness as an arms length transaction. The first agenda item for board meetings and board committee meetings is for members to declare any conflict of interest with upcoming agenda items or deliberations. At any point when consideration is being given to purchase/contract with a party in interest, the member with the conflict is excused from the discussion and consideration process or abstains from voting on the matter. All transactions identified with parties in interest are disclosed within the Form 990. All are deemed to be arms length transactions. |
| Form 990, Part VI, Line 15a: Compensation Review & Approval Process - CEO, Top Management |
The VP & President of NLH Foundation and the system Chief Executive Officer (CEO) who serves on the board ex-officio are employed by the system parent, Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems d/b/a Northern Light Health (NLH). The NLH Executive Performance Management Committee (the Committee) is responsible to monitor and evaluate the performance of the NLH CEO. It shall have authority to set the compensation of the NLH CEO, and to review the recommendations of the NLH CEO with respect to the compensation of the Presidents of the Member Organizations and other key management personnel. The Committee is comprised entirely of independent Directors per NLH bylaws.Process:The Committee meets regularly throughout the fiscal year at the discretion of the Committee chair as well as on call of the Chair of the NLH board. In carrying out its duties pursuant to the Bylaws, the Committee:-Assures that the executive compensation program is administered in a manner consistent with the NLH executive compensation philosophy.-Reviews and updates the NLH executive compensation philosophy which serves as the foundation on which all current and future executive compensation decisions are made.-Assures that value of compensation provided by NLH does not exceed the value of services provided by the executive.-Reviews annual incentive compensation criteria for eligible executives, as defined by the NLH CEO.-Reviews periodic compensation survey information and provides expert input to proposed changes to the executive compensation program.-Assures that a formal and timely performance management system is in place for executives.-Reviews incentive compensation criteria scoring and associated pay schedules for officers and key employees.-Provides any public statements regarding executive compensation practices at NLH deemed appropriate.-Maintains minutes of the meetings and communicates actions to the NLH Board of Directors.To accomplish this, the committee uses an external consultant with access to comparative data from independent sources and include national as well as regional data points. The NLH CEO reviews all direct report compensation actions with the committee. In addition, the NLH CEO ensures that any subsidiary policies and practices governing executive compensation are consistent with the committee's philosophy and practices statement. |
| Form 990, Part VI, Line 15b: Compensation Review and Approval Process for Officers and Key Employees |
NLH Foundation does not pay employees directly. All staff and officers are employed by NLH, the Systems parent organization and are purchased service by NLH Foundation. |
| Form 990, Part VI, Line 19: Other Organization Documents Publicly Available |
NLH Foundation makes its governing documents, conflict of interest policy and financial statements available to the public upon request. |
| Other Changes In Net Assets Or Fund Balances - Other Increases |
Transfer from Exempt Subsidiary-AHC = $500 |
| Other Changes In Net Assets Or Fund Balances - Other Increases |
Transfer from exempt subsidiary-MCH = $10000 |
| Other Changes In Net Assets Or Fund Balances - Other Increases |
Transfer from exempt subsidiary-NLH = $132308 |
| Other Changes In Net Assets Or Fund Balances - Other Decreases |
Transfer to exempt subsidiary -HCH = -$29830 |
| Other Changes In Net Assets Or Fund Balances - Other Decreases |
Transfer to exempt subsidiary -MCH = -$101843 |
| Other Changes In Net Assets Or Fund Balances - Other Decreases |
Transfer to exempt subsidiary -Mercy = -$1003127 |
Attach to Form 990 or 990-EZ.