Central Maine Healthcare

Where You are the Center

Patients and Visitors

Tobacco and Smoke Free Campuses

Use of the following is not permitted on CMH property:

  • Cigarettes
  • Cigars
  • Pipe smoking
  • Electronic cigarettes
  • Chewing tobacco
  • Snuff
  • Marijuana
  • Other non-approved FDA devices

This policy helps us keep patients, visitors, and team members safe from second- and third-hand smoke and supports those who are trying to quit tobacco use. Thank you for your commitment to a healthier community.

To learn more, download the following documents:
CMH Tobacco-Free Policy
Team Member Guide How to Support Patients and Families
Tobacco-Free & Smoke-Free Summary & Fact Sheet

Additional Resources:
American Lung Association – Quit Smoking
American Lung Association – Lung Friendly Workplace
Artificial Scents Have No Place in Our Hospitals
GovDocs – Fragrance Free Workplace
Mayo Clinic: Fragrances and Asthma/Allergies

Price Transparency

Patient Cost Estimates and Price Lists

Learn more about the total costs for medical procedures at Central Maine Healthcare by using our Price Estimate Tool and viewing our price lists available below. Your out of pocket costs will depend on your insurance coverage.

Create Your Own Estimates

The Central Maine Healthcare Price Estimate Tool enables you to generate an estimate if you self-pay (do not apply insurance coverage) or an estimate which applies your insurance information and coverage amount.  Real-time benefits are applied, allowing you to see an estimate of your out-of-pocket cost.  To use the Price Estimate Tool, you will need a 5 digit Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code.

Go to  Price Estimate Tool to begin.

Patient Price Lists/Machine Readable Files

In compliance with CMS regulations, Central Maine Healthcare provides price lists for our hospitals containing our charges for anticipated care. The hospital’s charges are the same for all patients, but a patient’s responsibility may vary, depending on payment plans and individual health insurers.*

* Actual amounts on the final statement may vary from the price list or the Price Estimate Tool amount, based on the patient’s medical condition, unanticipated circumstances or complications and additional treatment ordered by the care provider team. Uninsured or underinsured patients should consult with our admitting and billing staff to determine whether they qualify for discounts.

If you are unable to find the information you are looking for or have any questions please contact our Customer Service Team at 207-795-2237, Option 3.

Central Maine Medical Center Standard Charges

Bridgton Hospital Standard Charges

Rumford Hospital Standard Charges

Advanced Care Planning

Informed Consent and Advance Directives: Your Right to Determine Your Own Care

What is an Advance Directive?

An Advance Directive is a legal document that allows you to spell out your decisions regarding your end of life care ahead of time. The document provides important information for you to be able to express your wishes to family, friends and healthcare professionals if you should become medically unable to speak for yourself.

Can We Help You?

For more information about advance health care directives, or to obtain a copy, please contact:

  • Care Management Department at Central Maine Medical Center, 207-795-8284
  • Social Work Department at Central Maine Medical Center, 207-795-2721

Advance Care Planning Resources(*Please note: Some of the resources below may have a cost attached.)

Living Your Last Years – Toolkits to help Mainers talk about end of life care. This online site provides helpful information, resources and important advanced care planning documents for Maine residents.

The Conversation Project – Features The Conversation Starter Kit, aimed at helping people overcome barriers to planning and to start talking to family and loved ones. Available in English, Spanish, French, and Mandarin.

Aging with Dignity and Five Wishes – Provides practical information, advice and legal tools for Advance Care Planning, including the “Five Wishes” Advance Directive. Also offers “Voicing My Choices: A Planning Guide for Adolescents & Young Adults” (in English and Spanish), a tool that helps young people living with a serious illness communicate their preferences to friends, family and caregivers.

American Bar Association Advance Planning Toolkit – This online toolkit answers basic questions about advance care directives, legal issues surrounding serious illness and decision making, and elder care ethics.

The American Bar Association has also developed the My Healthcare Wishes app, which offers unlimited storage and management of personal and family profiles and documents, including advance directives, living wills, health care powers of attorney, DNR orders, POLST documents (Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment), and related information (available for a small fee.)

The Center for Practical Bioethics – Offers downloadable resources, including the workbook “Caring Conversations,” as well as case studies and audio interviews about the importance of advance care planning.

Go Wish Game – Developed by The Coda Alliance helps stimulate discussion that would focus in a positive way on values and wishes about end-of-life care. The card game can be an effective tool for elderly people with limited cognition, and for people with limited literacy and limited skills in the English language, without seeming too simplistic for those with higher education.

Hospice Foundation of America – The website has extensive resources for clinicians and consumers on advance care planning, end-of-life care decision making, hospice care, and grief. Find state-specific Advance Directive resources for clinicians and consumers on advance care planning, end-of-life care decision making, hospice care, and grief.

MyDirectives.com – A service of ADVault, Inc., is a free online platform that allows consumers to digitize their voices and treatment priorities in a comprehensive legal advance care plan that is secure in the cloud and available 24/7 anywhere in the world. MyDirectives also features a Discussion Guide and Conversation Starters to help people have discussions with providers, family and healthcare agents and also offers a new mobile app.

National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization – The National Alliance for Care at Home is the largest nonprofit membership organization representing hospice and palliative care programs and professionals in the United States.

Caring Connections is a program of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization that provides free resources to help people make decisions about end-of-life care before a crisis.

National Institute on Aging Advance Care – Planning Tip Sheet that offers advice on advance care planning including helpful descriptions and definitions of medical situations that may occur and tips for considering decisions around treatment

Online Living Will Registries:

Prepare for Your Care – This website, developed by geriatricians and other medical professionals, walks people through basic steps in Advance Care Planning and provides prompts and videos to help them get started. Information is available in English and Spanish.

Helpful Videos:

Download Advance Directive Form

Advance Directives Talk to Your Doctor

Maine’s Advance Directive Form

What Matters Most? Advance Care Planning Checklist

Your Conversation Starter Kit

Glossary: Financial Information

Medical Billing Terms

Copayment: A fixed payment the patient pays each time they visit a health plan clinician or receives a covered service.

Deductible: More typical in traditional health insurance, a fixed amount the patient must pay each year before the insurer will begin covering the cost of care.

Fee-for-service: The traditional method of paying for medical services. A provider charges a fee for each service given, and the insurer pays all or part of that fee. Sometimes the patient pays a copayment for each visit to the provider.

Health Maintenance Organization (HMO): An organization that offers healthcare services in exchange for fixed monthly payments. Most HMOs provide care through a network of hospitals, doctors and other medical professionals, which members must utilize to receive coverage for their care.

Managed Care Organization: An umbrella term for HMOs and all health plans that provide health care in return for set monthly payments and coordinate care through a defined network of primary care providers and hospitals.

Network: The doctors, clinics, health centers, medical group practices, hospitals, and other providers that an HMO, PPO, or other managed care plan has selected and contracted with to care for its members.

Out-of-network: Not in the HMO’s network of selected and approved providers and hospitals. HMO members who get care out-of-network (sometimes called out-of-area) without getting permission from the HMO to do so may have to pay for all or most of that care themselves. Exceptions are usually made for extreme emergencies or urgent care needed when traveling from home.

Point-of-Service (POS) Plan: A type of HMO coverage that allows members to choose to receive services either from participating HMO providers, or from providers outside the HMO’s network. In-network care is more likely to be fully covered; for out-of-network care, members pay deductibles and a percentage of the cost of care, much like traditional health insurance coverage.

Practice Guidelines: Carefully developed information on diagnosing and treating specific medical conditions. Practice guidelines, usually based on clinical literature and expert consensus, are designed to help providers and patients make decisions, and to help a health plan evaluate appropriateness and medical necessity of care.

Preferred Provider Organization (PPO): A network of providers and hospitals that provides care at a lower cost than through traditional insurance. PPO members get better benefits (more coverage) when they use the PPO’s network and pay higher out-of-pocket costs when they receive care outside the PPO network.

Preventive Care: Care designed to prevent disease altogether, to detect and treat it early, or to manage its course most effectively. Examples of preventive care include immunizations and regular screenings like Pap smears or cholesterol checks.

Primary Care: Preventive health care and routine medical care that is typically provided by a provider trained in internal medicine, pediatrics or family practice.

Primary Care Provider (PCP): A provider, usually an internist, pediatrician or family provider, devoted to the general medical care of patients. Most HMOs require members to choose a primary care provider, who is then expected to provide or authorize all care for that patient.

Referral: A formal process that authorizes an HMO member to get care from a specialist or hospital. To assure coverage, an HMO patient generally must get a referral from their primary care provider before seeing a specialist.

Specialist: A health professional whose training and expertise are in a specific area of medicine, like cardiology or dermatology. Most HMOs require members to get a referral from their primary care provider before seeing a specialist.

Student Nurses

You may receive care from a student nurse, as Central Maine Medical Center, Bridgton Hospital and Rumford Hospital are clinical training sites for the Maine College of Health Professions.  Our student nurses work under the direction of their instructors and other experienced nurses.

For more information about the Maine College of Health Professions, visit the MCHP website.

No Surprises Act

What is “Balance Billing” (Sometimes Called “Surprise Billing”)?

When you see a health care provider, you may owe certain out-of-pocket costs, like a copayment, coinsurance, or deductible. You may have additional costs or have to pay the entire bill if you see a provider or visit a health care facility that isn’t in your health plan’s network.

Surprise billing is an unexpected balance bill. This can happen when you can’t control who is involved in your care—like when you have an emergency or when you schedule a visit at an in- network facility but are unexpectedly treated by an out-of-network provider. Surprise medical bills could cost thousands of dollars depending on the procedure or service.

Out-of-network means providers and facilities that haven’t signed a contract with your health plan to provide services. Out-of-network providers may be allowed to bill you for the difference between what your plan pays, and the full amount charged for a service. This is called “balance billing.” This amount is likely more than in-network costs for the same service and might not count toward your plan’s deductible or annual out-of-pocket limit.

You Are Protected from Balance Billing for the Following Services:

Emergency Services: If you have an emergency medical condition and get emergency services from an out-of- network provider or facility, the most they can bill you is your plan’s in-network cost-sharing amount (such as copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles). You cannot be balance billed for these emergency services. This includes services you may get after you are in stable condition, unless you give written consent and give up your protections not to be balanced billed for these post-stabilization services.

Certain Services at an In-Network Hospital or Ambulatory Surgical Center: When you get services from an in-network hospital or ambulatory surgical center, certain providers there may be out-of-network. In these cases, the most those providers can bill you is your plan’s in-network cost-sharing amount. This applies to emergency medicine, anesthesia, pathology, radiology, laboratory, neonatology, assistant surgeon, hospitalist, or intensivist services. These providers cannot balance bill you and may not ask you to give up your protections not to be balance billed. If you get other types of services at these in-network facilities, out-of-network providers cannot balance bill you unless you give written consent and give up your protections.

You are never required to give up your protections from balance billing. You also aren’t required to get out- of-network care. You can choose a provider or facility in your plan’s network.

You have the Following Additional Protections When Balance Billing is Not Allowed:

  • You are only responsible for paying your share of the cost (like the copayments, coinsurance, and deductible that you would pay if the provider or facility was in-network). Your health plan will pay any additional costs to out-of-network providers and facilities directly.
  • Generally, your health plan must:
    • Cover emergency services without requiring you to get approval for services in advance (also known as prior authorization).
    • Cover emergency services by out-of-network providers.
    • Base what you owe the provider or facility (cost-sharing) on what it would pay an in-network provider or facility and show that amount in your explanation of benefits.
    • Count any amount you pay for emergency services or out-of-network services toward your in- network deductible and out-of-pocket limit.

If You Think You Have Been Wrongly Billed

  • If you have any questions or need further clarification, please do not hesitate to contact us by reaching out to Central Maine Healthcare Patient Financial Services at (207) 795-2237.
  • Contact the Maine Bureau of Insurance by calling 207-624-8475, or 1-800-300-5000 (toll free).
  • Call the federal phone number for information and complaints at 1-800-985-3059 (toll free).
  • Visit the website with federal protections at No Surprises Act | CMS
  • Visit the Maine Legislature website for more information about your rights under Title 22: Health and Welfare, Subtitle 2: Health, Part 4: Hospitals and Medical Care, Chapter 401: General provisions

Click below to download the printable document:

CMHC NSA Disclosure Updated Nov 2024Download

Choosing a Health Plan

What Should I Know Before Choosing a Health Plan?

Coverage: What services does the plan cover? What are the deductibles? Does it cover home care, chiropractic services, mental health services, or anything else that is particularly important to you?

Choice: Is there a certain doctor you’d like to choose, either for routine care or specialty care? Do you have to choose a provider from among those specified? Do you have a primary care hospital? If you have different rules for “emergency care” and “urgent care” how do you define the difference between the two?

Convenience: Does your plan cover providers who are located near your home or office? What is the procedure if you choose a provider and then find that you do not like him/her?

Cost: You will pay all or part of the premium directly or through payroll deduction, plus a visit fee, or co-payment, whenever you get care. If your coverage is through your employer, your benefits manager can tell you what your portion of the premium will be. If you are in a Medicare managed care plan, there may be no premium.

Other

  • Are the deductibles one time only, or yearly?
  • Is the insurance provider financially stable?
  • Is the plan accredited by NCQA? The National Committee for Quality Assurance is a non-profit watchdog organization created to assess, measure and report on care provided by the nation’s managed care groups. Since 1991, NCQA accreditation surveyors–mainly doctors–have evaluated a health plan’s organization, structure and quality improvement processes to see whether the plan was capable of delivering high quality care and continually improving the care it provided?
  • How long has the company been in business?
  • What is the average turn-around time on claims?

Put It All Together: Is the combination of cost, quality, coverage and access to your preferred providers or specialists acceptable?

Insurance Participation

Central Maine Healthcare (Bridgton Hospital, Central Maine Medical Center and Rumford Hospital) accepts most major insurance companies.  Below is a list of insurance companies that we participate with. If you don’t see your specific plan or product below, please contact your insurance company customer service department to check that the facility you will be receiving care at is a participating provider.  Each patient’s medical situation and insurance plan are different and you should ask your health insurance company to review your coverage and benefits at Central Maine Healthcare’s facilities. Insurance plans are agreements made between you and your insurer, and Central Maine Healthcare cannot ensure that an insurance company will pay for your care. It is your responsibility to understand what types of coverage your health insurance provides and to be sure that you meet all requirements stipulated by your specific plan. Your health insurance company will be able to inform you of your level of coverage and what, if any, copayments, coinsurances and deductibles will be your responsibility.  Many insurance plans are now considered “tiered” plans, and have different levels of costs depending on where you go for care. It is important that you check with your own health insurance plan to see what level of coverage you will receive at a specific hospital. Even if you see your insurance plan listed, additional referrals or authorizations may be required. Some services may not be covered by your insurance coverage at every location.  The level of coverage provided to you is determined by your insurance company.  Also, many health insurance plans use other companies to cover certain services such as behavioral health (mental health).  Please contact your insurance plan or employer for your specific questions.

CMH Contracted Insurance Plans

  • Aetna
  • Aetna Medicare Advantage
  • Anthem
  • Anthem Medicare Advantage
  • CHAMPVA
  • Cigna
  • Community Health Options
  • Harvard Pilgrim
  • Humana Medicare Advantage
  • MaineCare
  • Martin’s Point Generations Advantage
  • Martin’s Point USFHP
  • Medicare
  • Meritain Health
  • Multiplan
  • NH Medicaid
  • Patient Advocates
  • TRICARE
  • UnitedHealthcare
  • UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage
  • VA Community Care Network (VACCN)
  • Wellcare Medicare Advantage

Financial Assistance

Free Medical Care for those unable to pay

Size of family unit*Maine Free Care*CMMC, BH, RH Free Care 100% Discount*CMMC, BH, RH Free Care 50% Discount
1$23,475$31,300$39,125
2$31,725$42,300$52,875
3$39,975$53,300$66,625
4$48,225$64,300$80,375
5$56,475$75,300$94,125
6$64,725$86,300$107,875
7$72,925$97,300$121,625
8$81,225$108,300$135,375
For each additional person, add this amount$8,250$11,000$13,750

Last Updated: February 10th, 2025

To apply for Free Care or obtain more information, schedule an appointment to meet with one of our financial advocates in person by calling us at (207) 786-1803. You will be asked if you have insurance of any kind to help pay for your care. You will also be asked to show that insurance or a government program will not pay for your care.

Only necessary medical care is given as free care. The following services are NOT considered medically necessary under the Free Care Program:

  • Cosmetic Procedures
  • Bariatric Services
  • Sterilization/Birth Control
  • Fertility Services
  • Exercise programs including phase III cardiac rehab
  • Circumcision
  • Child Birth Education
  • Breast Pump Rental

If you do not qualify for free hospital care, you are allowed to ask for a fair hearing or appeal. The hospital policy is available for review.

Download the following documents to learn more or to apply for Financial Assistance:

If you do not qualify for financial assistance for your hospital care, you are allowed to ask for a fair hearing or appeal. The hospital policy is available for review.

Billing & Financial Information

FAQ

Answers to Your Billing Questions

What is a deductible? Coinsurance? Co-payment? Insurance plans generally have deductibles, co-payments, and/or coinsurances that are the responsibility of the subscriber, patient, and/or guarantor.

Deductible: A “deductible” is an annual expense that you must pay before your insurance benefit can begin. This amount can vary based on a place of service (i.e. provider’s office vs. hospital). Supplemental insurance plans may cover this cost; however, it is based on your selected insurance benefit package.

Coinsurance: A “Coinsurance” is the percentage of the total bill that is the patient and/or guarantor’s responsibility to pay. This amount can vary based on place of service (i.e. provider’s office vs. hospital). Supplemental insurance plans may cover this cost; however, it is based on your selected insurance benefit package.

Co-payment: A “Co-payment” is a set amount paid at each visit, based on your selected insurance benefit package. This is usually not applied towards your deductible.

For example: On a $1000 bill, your deductible might be $200, so you would have to pay the first $200. This leaves a balance of $800. Of that $800, your co-insurance might be 20%, meaning that you will be responsible to pay $160. Your insurance company should pay $640. Once the insurance company has made payment, you should receive an explanation of benefits from your insurance and will receive a statement from the hospital indicating the remaining balance.

Questions related to an insurance company payment and/or denial should be made directly to your insurance company or benefits office.

Who is responsible for paying my bill? The hospital will bill your insurance directly, unless specified otherwise. You are ultimately responsible to make certain that your bill is paid, either by the insurance and/or responsible party. If a balance remains after your insurance has issued a payment or a denial, payment is due immediately upon receipt of your statement from the hospital.

How can I pay my bill? There are several payment options:

  • Secure online bill payment at Pay Your Bill Online
  • To pay with credit or debit by telephone contact us at:
    • Lewiston Area: 1-833-486-2738
    • Bridgton Area: 1-833-486-2738
    • Rumford Area:  In state toll-free number 1-833-486-2738
  • We accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express
  • Cashier’s check, personal check or credit card information can be mailed to the following address. Indicate account number on the lower left-hand corner of the check:
    • Central Maine Healthcare
      PO Box 4100
      Lewiston, Maine 04243-4100
  • Visit the following locations to make a payment in person:
    • CMH Patient Financial Services
      29 Lowell Street, 1st Level
      Lewiston, Maine 04240
    • Bridgton Hospital
      10 Hospital Drive
      Bridgton, Me 04009
    • Rumford Hospital
      420 Franklin Street
      Rumford, Maine 04276

What other bills will I receive? In addition to your bill from the hospital or its providers, you may receive bills from private providers who took care of you. These providers who may or may not participate in your health care may include:

  • Primary Care provider
  • Surgeon
  • Anesthesiologist
  • Radiologist
  • Pathologist
  • Other specialist

Did you bill my correct insurance? Insurance-related questions may be directed to the Patient Financial Services department by calling 1-833-486-2738 or one of the telephone numbers listed above.

What is “pending” with my insurance? You may have received a letter or questionnaire from your insurance company requesting additional information. If you do not respond to this request, the bill may ultimately become your responsibility. Questions about your account may be directed to the Patient Financial Services department at 1-833-486-2738 or one of the telephone numbers listed above.

What do I owe? You should receive an account statement in the mail. Your statement will reflect any unpaid balances on your accounts. Questions related to account statement balance can be directed to the Patient Financial Services department at 1-833-486-2738 or one of the numbers listed above.

Did you receive my payment? There may be times where a statement is generated prior to your payment being posted. Any new payments on your account should be reflected on your next account statement. Questions about your account may be directed to the Patient Financial Services department by calling 1-833-486-2738.

What if I didn’t have my insurance information at the time of service? You should contact the Patient Financial Services department immediately by calling 1-833-486-2738 or one of the telephone numbers listed above to ensure proper billing requirements are met, and to prevent pre-certification and timely filing issues with your insurance plan.

What are a referral and a pre-certification, and who is responsible for taking care of these?

Referral: Many insurance plans require a referral from your Primary Care provider to a specialist and/or the hospital for specific services. Without a referral from your Primary Care provider, services are often denied for payment and the bill may ultimately be your responsibility.

Pre-certification: Many insurance plans require prior approval for services by patients, their Primary Care provider, or ordering provider before services can be covered. Without pre-certification from the ordering provider, services are often denied for payment and the bill may ultimately be your responsibility.

Please review your health plan booklet or call your insurance company to clarify your benefits, referral, and pre-certification requirements prior to receiving any services.

Why didn’t my insurance pay? You should have received an Explanation of Medical Benefits (EOMB) or Explanation of Payment (EOP) from your insurance company, showing how they considered your claim. This EOMB/EOP should have a contact telephone number or website where you can reach your insurance company for questions. Please contact your insurance company or benefits office with questions about denied claims.

I was injured at work – why am I getting a bill? After notifying your employer of a work-related injury, your employer should have filed a ‘Notice of Injury’ with the company’s worker’s compensation carrier. If they did not, the claim may be denied and become your responsibility.

Facility Charges/Fees

Notice-to-Patients-Regarding-Facility-Fees-Charged-by-Healthcare-Entities-CMMC
Notice-to-Patients-Regarding-Facility-Fees-Charged-by-Healthcare-Entities-BH
Notice-to-Patients-Regarding-Facility-Fees-Charged-by-Healthcare-Entities-RH
Notice-to-Patients-Regarding-Facility-Fees-Charged-by-Healthcare-Entities-CMCA

Gerrish-True Health Sciences Library 

The Gerrish-True Health Sciences Library at Central Maine Medical Center offers dozens of links to websites that offer accurate medical and health information. It is a resource available to patients, the public and to medical staff.

Contact Us

Gerrish-True Health Sciences Library
Central Maine Medical Center
300 Main Street, P.O. Box 4500
Lewiston, ME 04240

Library Hours:
Public Access: Monday – Thursday 8 a.m. – 4 p.m., Friday 8 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Hospital clinicians and team members: 24/7 access with badge
Librarian on-site as needed and by appointment

Library Staff:
Sarah Hudson, MLS, MBA call: 207-795-5956 or email: hudsonsa@cmhc.org
For more information call: 207-795-2560 or email: library@cmhc.org

Collections and Services: The Gerrish-True Health Sciences Library supports the health-related information needs of physicians, hospital team members and all affiliated students. Patients, their families and the public are welcome to use the library during staffed hours.

The Gerrish-True Health Sciences Library subscribes to medical and health-related journals.  The majority of these are available online through our medical databases (see Professional Health Resources).  CMH medical staff and students may contact the CMMC Library team members for online access instructions.  Journals are indexed in PubMed with links out to the full text of journals in electronic format.  Older issues may be available in storage or on microfilm. Print journals do not circulate but may be photocopied. (Photocopying is available.)

The library has a small print collection of medical reference books arranged by National Library of Medicine classification in many specialty areas. Check the CMMC online catalog for availability.  Books in the circulating collection may be borrowed for two weeks and may be renewed. Electronic textbooks are also available through Nursing and Access Medicine on the Professional Health page.

Health Library Disclaimer: Please note: Information provided by the Gerrish-True Health Sciences Library or links on its web page, is not intended to be a substitute for medical advice or care from a physician of other healthcare provider. Please call your healthcare provider if you have questions regarding your specific medical condition.

Patient and Public Health Resources

Medlineplus – MedlinePlus is the National Institutes of Health’s Web site for patients and their families and friends. Produced by the National Library of Medicine, it brings you information about diseases, conditions, and wellness issues in language you can understand. MedlinePlus offers reliable, up-to-date health information, anytime, anywhere, for free.

CDC – CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) works 24/7 to protect America from health, safety and security threats, both foreign and in the U.S. Whether diseases start at home or abroad, are chronic or acute, curable or preventable, human error or deliberate attack, CDC fights disease and supports communities and citizens to do the same.​

ConsumerMedSafety – Developed by the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP), ConsumerMedSafety.org is designed exclusively to bring the message of medication error prevention directly to the consumers.  Features of the site include:

  • A Scrolling Marquee Top 10 List providing the latest drug safety warnings and advice from experts.
  • The Medication Safety Toolbox offering various tools designed to help read a prescription, understand medicine labels, keep track of medications, measure liquid doses, or learn which medicines can’t be crushed.
  • Medication Safety Alerts – special safety section along with critical information about drug recalls, drug shortages, and medication guides.
  • Consumer Medication Errors Reporting Program, a section where consumers are invited to tell their stories about medication hazards or errors through a user-friendly, online reporting format.​

Druginfonet.com – Official package inserts and pharmaceutical product and disease information for healthcare professionals and consumers.

Family Doctor.org – The Family Doctor website is operated by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), a national medical organization representing more than 115,900 family physicians, family practice residents and medical students. All of the information on this site has been written and reviewed by physicians and patient education professionals at the AAFP.​

US Food and Drug Administration 

Healthfinder.gov – A gateway to reliable consumer health and human services information, sponsored by the DHHS.

Household Products Database – Information on the health effects of common household products under your sink, in the garage, in the bathroom and on the laundry room shelf.

KidsHealth.org – Doctor-approved health information about children, created by the Nemours Foundation. ​

Lab Test Online – Lab Tests Online has been designed to help you, as a patient or family caregiver, to better understand the many clinical lab tests that are part of routine care as well as diagnosis and treatment of a broad range of conditions and diseases. If you are a medical professional, this site can serve as a quick reference tool or as a resource for keeping up with advances in laboratory science.​

Marvel – Free Maine databases including Academic Search Premiere, Business Source Premiere, Health Source: Consumer Edition, Proquest Newspaper Indexes

Mayo Clinic – Consumer website offering health and medical information and disease management, produced by the Mayo Foundation.

Nutrition.gov – A U.S. federal guide offering access to all government web sites with reliable and accurate information on nutrition and dietary guidance.

President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition – The President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition mission is to engage, educate, and empower all Americans across the lifespan to adopt a healthy lifestyle that includes regular physical activity and good nutrition.

RxList – RxList is an online medical resource dedicated to offering detailed and current pharmaceutical information on brand and generic drugs. Founded by pharmacists in 1995, and acquired by WebMD in 2004, RxList is continuously reviewed and updated with articles written by pharmacists and physicians and data provided by credible and reliable sources like the FDA, Cerner Multum, and First Data Bank, Inc. to ensure the most accurate and beneficial information is provided.​

NIH Senior Health – Health and wellness information for older adults from the National Institutes of Health.​

NIH Tox Town – An interactive guide about how the environment, chemicals and toxic substances affect human health.

USDA ChooseMyPlate.gov – The Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion lists the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the USDA Food Guidance System, the Healthy Eating Index, and many other nutrition resources on Choose My Plate including U.S. Meal Plans.​

Womenshealth.gov – The FDA’s leading resource for women’s health information.

State and Local:

State of Maine – Home page for links to Govenor’s office, State Agencies, Quasi-independent Agencies, Legislature (statutes, bills, House, Senate etc.).
Maine State Library – Home page for the Maine State Library and additional reference databases.

News:

USA Today
Lewiston Sun Journal
Portland Press Herald

Professional Health

The following databases are available for medical staff and students.  Please contact the library to obtain access information.

Medical Databases

Nursing and Allied Health Databases

Warbixin Caafimaad (Somali Health Info)