The MaineHealth Podcast

Welcome to the inaugural episode of The Well‑Being Rounds where we focus on provider and APP wellness!

Our hosts are MaineHealth provider leaders: Christine Hein, MD, Chief Wellness Officer, Ranjiv Advani, MD Coastal and Mountain Provider Wellbeing Medical Director, Elizabeth Eisenhardt, MD Southern Region Provider Wellbeing Co-Medical Director, and Stephanie Gray, PA Southern Region Provider Wellbeing Co-Medical Director.

In this episode, they introduce the podcast and share personal journeys into well‑being work. They discuss how burnout is driven by system factors, the power of peer support and leadership, challenges in primary care and rural settings, and practical solutions like scribes and Abridge to restore connection with patients.

Future episodes will rotate hosts, amplify frontline voices, and highlight team‑based approaches to sustain meaning, relationships, and joy in clinical practice.

Communication Strategies for Vaccine-Hesitant Communities

Today we welcome Dr. David A. Higgins as he outlines why vaccine-preventable diseases like measles are resurging, and how recent federal policy shifts and a low-trust environment have increased confusion. Despite the confusion, most people remain open to vaccination.

He offers practical, evidence-based communication strategies for clinicians and community leaders—clear recommendations, empathetic motivational interviewing, faith-community engagement, pre-bunking misinformation, and community-level messaging—plus resources to support local vaccine confidence efforts.

David A. Higgins, MD is a double board-certified pediatrician and preventive medicine specialist. He is an assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. 

MaineHealth Public Health Grand Rounds: Join us for engaging discussions on today’s evolving public health landscape. Hosted by Dr. Dora Anne Mills, MaineHealth brings together national and local experts to explore critical public health issues impacting Maine and communities across the country.

Preparing for the Next Pandemic - What We Must Do

Today we welcome Dr. Michael Osterholm as he explains why COVID-19 wasn’t "the big one," outlines failures in pandemic communication and preparedness, and offers practical steps to strengthen vaccines, respiratory protection, surveillance, and public trust.

He discusses his latest book, The Big One - We Must Prepare for Future Deadly Pandemics, co-authored by Mark Olshaker, published in 2025. He emphasizes that we have both the obligation and the tools to prepare. He discusses the benefits of wastewater and syndromic surveillance, and current concerns like hantavirus — stressing transparency, better messaging, and sustainable public health systems.

Dr. Osterholm is a Regents Professor, McKnight Presidential Endowed Chair in Public Health, the director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP), Distinguished Teaching Professor in the Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, a professor in the Technological Leadership Institute, College of Science and Engineering, and an adjunct professor in the Medical School at the University of Minnesota.

He also has a podcast called Osterholm Update. 

MaineHealth Public Health Grand Rounds: Join us for engaging discussions on today’s evolving public health landscape. Hosted by Dr. Dora Anne Mills, MaineHealth brings together national and local experts to explore critical public health issues impacting Maine and communities across the country.

Vitals & Voices, Episode 4

We're talking about Mental Health Awareness Month, exploring provider mental health, empathy fatigue, and strategies for resilience.

In this episode, Jordan and Chris sit down with Mary Weatherbee, Program Manager, Provider Well-Being and Peer Support, to discuss the vital role of mental health awareness within care teams. We’re shining a light on the unique pressures faced by nurses and healthcare providers, and the importance of checking in on those who care for others.  Later in the show, our colleague Kristen connects with Laura Robbins, Manager, Health and Wellness Benefits to highlight MaineHealth resources including peer support, the Employee Assistance Program, and the Espresa wellness platform and reimbursement program to help staff find practical, confidential support. Whether you’re looking for personal resources or ways to support your colleagues, this episode is packed with essential information for a healthier workplace.

Working Together with COO Kelly Elkins, episode 86

In this episode, MaineHealth Chief Operating Officer Kelly Elkins explores what it truly takes to achieve—and sustain—CMS 5‑Star performance by making quality and patient experience everyone’s work across the system.

Joined by Dr. Omar Hasan, Chief Quality Officer for MaineHealth, and Helen Troy, Vice President of Quality & Safety, the conversation looks beyond ratings as a scorecard and instead examines how 4‑Star and higher performance becomes a way of operating every day. The episode discusses why CMS Star Ratings matter to patients and communities, the critical role of leadership and frontline teams, and how data transparency and shared accountability are driving continuous improvement. Together, they reflect on how embedding quality into culture—not initiatives—creates better, more reliable experiences for patients and families while supporting long‑term system performance.

Andy's Open Door Live Broadcast on 04-29-26

This episode of Andy's Open Door features a discussion with Vice President of Quality and Safety Mark Parker, MD, Lead Sonographer in the Southern Region Miranda Anderson and Quality leader from NorDx Julie Carrell, to discuss the role of Safety Stories in our culture of safety at MaineHealth and the new safety story library where the stories can be submitted and accessed. Julie and Miranda also shared their own incredible safety stories.

Today we welcome Joy Rhoden, Senior Vice President and Executive Director of Health Outcomes and Care Transformation at the American Hospital Association (AHA). Joy explains how hospitals can use standardized data, care-delivery transformation, community partnerships, and workforce activation to reduce health disparities. She highlights maternal and child health, rural innovations, telehealth, doulas and community health workers. She talks about AHA initiatives like a Commonwealth Fund grant, an EPIC postpartum hemorrhage collaborative, an upcoming Healthier Together conference, and a new economic-impact guide.

The discussion emphasizes actionable tools, peer learning, policy advocacy, and scalable practices to help hospitals move from knowing the problem to measurable improvements in health outcomes for all.

MaineHealth Public Health Grand Rounds: Join us for engaging discussions on today’s evolving public health landscape. Hosted by Dr. Dora Anne Mills, MaineHealth brings together national and local experts to explore critical public health issues impacting Maine and communities across the country.

Virtual Public Health Grand Rounds is open to anyone interested in understanding the dynamic relationship between public health and health care.

Working Together with Kelly Elkins, Episode 85

In this episode, MaineHealth Chief Operating Officer Kelly Elkins explores how the organization is rethinking revenue cycle and payer strategy to better support access, affordability, and long‑term sustainability. As denial rates rise, payment models shift, and administrative complexity increases, the conversation focuses on why revenue cycle can no longer be viewed as transactional—but instead as a strategic lever tied directly to quality, equity, and patient experience. The episode examines how aligning incentives, simplifying processes, and using data more proactively are helping MaineHealth balance financial stewardship with its mission to deliver high‑value care.

Guest Kelly Champney Senior Vice President of Revenue Cycle and Payer Strategy for MaineHealth shares how this evolution is taking shape across the system, including managing risk‑based arrangements, strengthening payer partnerships, and reducing friction for patients and care teams. Together, they discuss what has changed, what remains challenging, and how a more integrated, forward‑looking approach to revenue cycle positions MaineHealth to sustain care delivery while advancing affordability, access, and outcomes for the communities it serves.

Welcome to episode 3 of Vitals and Voices, a MaineHealth nursing podcast, sharing the stories, perspectives, and expertise of nurses across our system with hosts Chris & Jordan.

In this episode, long-tenured MHMMC Portland nurses Jackie and Sara reflect on 40 years of nursing—sharing early memories, patient stories, the shift from paper charts to electronic systems, and how they avoid burnout. The episode also features Holly discussing Donate Life Month, the importance of organ and tissue donation, and how donors give others a chance at new life.

Working Together with Kelly Elkins, Episode 84

In this episode, MaineHealth Chief Operating Officer Kelly Elkins explores how Technology‑Enabled Care Innovation and Transformation (TECIT) is helping the system move innovation from concept to measurable impact—improving access, reducing variation, and ensuring long‑term sustainability. As MaineHealth continues to evolve, this conversation focuses on why technology must be purpose‑driven, aligned to strategy, and designed to simplify care for patients and care team members alike. The episode examines how a system‑wide approach to evaluating and scaling innovation helps ensure new solutions deliver real value across clinical, operational, and workforce priorities.

Guest Colin FitzGerald, AI Solutions and Product Lead for MaineHealth, shares why TECIT was created, what problems it is designed to solve, and how the framework supports smarter decision‑making around technology investments. Together, they discuss how TECIT is being applied across care at home, primary care, specialty services, and beyond—and how this work positions MaineHealth to responsibly leverage innovation while advancing affordability, quality, and access for the communities it serves.