Complications & Deaths Measures
20
CMS-tracked
Maine · Critical Access
Down East Community Hospital
According to PlainHospital's CMS star-rating ranking (CMS Hospital Compare overall stars), Down East Community Hospital ranks #623 of 3182 rated US hospitals by overall star rating (highest = #1).
- 4★
- CMS overall rating
- Top 42%
- national star rank
- #623 of 3182
- Corpus placement
- 20
- Quality measures
- 6
- Infection types
Data currency: Hospital quality, safety, and patient-experience measures from the CMS Care Compare program (published quarterly), last refreshed May 2026. See our methodology for source dates. Spot a figure that looks wrong? Report a correction.
11 Hospital Drive, Machias, ME 04654 · Washington County · (207) 255-3356
The verdict
According to PlainHospital's CMS star-rating ranking (CMS Hospital Compare overall stars), Down East Community Hospital ranks #623 of 3182 rated US hospitals by overall star rating (highest = #1). That corpus rank reflects an above-median CMS star rating nationally.
- Top 42%
- CMS star rating vs 3,182 rated US hospitals
- #623 of 3182
- rated-hospital corpus placement
- 0
- measures better than national of 6 compared
- Yes
- emergency department on site
Since the last CMS release
CMS published no overall star rating for this hospital in its May 2026 release; it is rated 4 of 5 as of August 2026.
CMS replaces its file at each release rather than publishing a changelog, so this comparison exists only because the earlier release is kept on file. See what changed nationally.
Where Down East Community Hospital sits among rated US hospitals
4 Top 42% higher than 58% of 3,182 rated hospitals
CMS star rating (1–5 stars), bucketed by value
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more rated hospitals. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source CMS Hospital Compare, overall hospital rating · 2026-08-14
Down East Community Hospital vs. Maine and the nation
- Down East Community …
Down East Community Hospital
4 stars
- Maine avg
Maine state average
3.2 stars
- US avg
National average
3.2 stars
What this shows At 4 stars, Down East Community Hospital rates above the Maine average of 3.2 and above the national average of 3.2.
Type
Critical Access Hospitals
Ownership
Voluntary non-profit - Private
Emergency Services
Yes
Birthing Friendly
N/A
Patient Experience
17
HCAHPS domains
Infection Types
6
CDC NHSN
CMS Overall Star Rating 80.0%
4 of 5 stars
Better-than-national profile for Down East Community Hospital
Mortality 3 measures
Safety of care 0 measures
Readmission 3 measures
Better than national Same as national Worse than national
Quality Measures
| Measure | Score | vs. National |
|---|---|---|
| Abdominopelvic accidental puncture or laceration rate | N/A | Not Available |
| CMS Medicare PSI 90: Patient safety and adverse events composite | N/A | Not Available |
| Death rate among surgical inpatients with serious treatable complications | N/A | Not Available |
| Death rate for CABG surgery patients | N/A | Not Available |
| Death rate for COPD patients | 9.6 | Same as National |
| Death rate for heart attack patients | N/A | Number of Cases Too Small |
| Death rate for heart failure patients | N/A | Number of Cases Too Small |
| Death rate for pneumonia patients | 15.8 | Same as National |
| Death rate for stroke patients | N/A | Number of Cases Too Small |
| Hybrid Hospital-Wide All-Cause Risk Standardized Mortality Rate | 4 | Same as National |
| Iatrogenic pneumothorax rate | N/A | Not Available |
| In-hospital fall-associated fracture rate | N/A | Not Available |
| Perioperative pulmonary embolism or deep vein thrombosis rate | N/A | Not Available |
| Postoperative acute kidney injury requiring dialysis rate | N/A | Not Available |
| Postoperative hemorrhage or hematoma rate | N/A | Not Available |
Patient Experience (HCAHPS)
| Survey Question | Star Rating |
|---|---|
| Cleanliness - linear mean score | N/A |
| Cleanliness - star rating | N/A |
| Communication about medicines - linear mean score | N/A |
| Communication about medicines - star rating | N/A |
| Discharge information - linear mean score | N/A |
| Discharge information - star rating | N/A |
| Doctor communication - linear mean score | N/A |
| Doctor communication - star rating | N/A |
| Nurse communication - linear mean score | N/A |
| Nurse communication - star rating | N/A |
| Overall hospital rating - linear mean score | N/A |
| Overall hospital rating - star rating | N/A |
| Quietness - linear mean score | N/A |
| Quietness - star rating | N/A |
| Recommend hospital - linear mean score | N/A |
| Recommend hospital - star rating | N/A |
| Summary star rating | N/A |
Safety & Infections
| Measure | Score | vs. National |
|---|---|---|
| Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (ICU + select Wards) | N/A | Not Available |
| Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection (ICU + select Wards) | N/A | Not Available |
| Clostridium Difficile (C.Diff) | N/A | Not Available |
| MRSA Bacteremia | N/A | Not Available |
| SSI - Abdominal Hysterectomy | N/A | Not Available |
| SSI - Colon Surgery | N/A | Not Available |
Staffing & Spending
Unplanned Visits & Readmissions
| Measure | Score | vs. National |
|---|---|---|
| Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) 30-Day Readmission Rate | N/A | Number of Cases Too Small |
| Heart failure (HF) 30-Day Readmission Rate | N/A | Number of Cases Too Small |
| Hospital return days for heart attack patients | N/A | Number of Cases Too Small |
| Hospital return days for heart failure patients | N/A | Number of Cases Too Small |
| Hospital return days for pneumonia patients | -17.9 | Average Days per 100 Discharges |
| Hybrid Hospital-Wide All-Cause Readmission Measure (HWR) | 14.7 | Same as National |
| Pneumonia (PN) 30-Day Readmission Rate | 15.4 | Same as National |
| Rate of emergency department (ED) visits for patients receiving outpatient chemotherapy | N/A | Number of Cases Too Small |
| Rate of inpatient admissions for patients receiving outpatient chemotherapy | N/A | Number of Cases Too Small |
| Rate of readmission after hip/knee replacement | N/A | Number of Cases Too Small |
| Rate of readmission for CABG | N/A | Not Available |
| Rate of readmission for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients | 17.5 | Same as National |
| Rate of unplanned hospital visits after colonoscopy (per 1,000 colonoscopies) | N/A | Not Available |
| Ratio of unplanned hospital visits after hospital outpatient surgery | N/A | Not Available |
Medicare Spending
| Measure | Score |
|---|---|
| Medicare hospital spending per patient (Medicare Spending per Beneficiary) | N/A |
Maternal Health
| Measure | Score |
|---|---|
| Cesarean Birth | N/A |
| Maternal Morbidity Structural Measure | N/A |
| Risk Adjusted Severe Obstetric Complications (All) | N/A |
| Risk Adjusted Severe Obstetric Complications (excluding blood-transfusion-only cases) | N/A |
Nationwide hospitals with similar CMS profiles
Peer sets for Down East Community Hospital outside Maine, keyed to the sparse better-than-national share.
Similar CMS star rating
Nearest overall stars outside ME (4/5 here).
Similar mortality outcomes
Nearest mortality measures rated better than national, outside ME (0 better here).
Nearby Hospitals in Maine
Other Medicare-certified hospitals in Maine.
One of 35 Medicare-certified hospitals in Maine, 6 are shown here.
Bridgton Hospital
Bridgton, ME
3/5
Critical Access Hospitals
Calais Community Hospital
Calais, ME
No rating Critical Access Hospitals
Cary Medical Center
Caribou, ME
1/5
Acute Care Hospitals
Central Maine Medical Center
Lewiston, ME
4/5
Acute Care Hospitals
Dorothea Dix Psychiatric Center
Bangor, ME
No rating Psychiatric
Houlton Regional Hospital
Houlton, ME
3/5
Critical Access Hospitals
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Down East Community Hospital compare to other hospitals on CMS star rating?
According to PlainHospital's CMS star-rating ranking, Down East Community Hospital ranks #623 of 3182 rated US hospitals by overall star rating (highest = #1). That ordinal matches our top-rated hospital listing (star_rating DESC). See /methodology#corpus-placement.
What is the CMS star rating for Down East Community Hospital?
Down East Community Hospital has an overall CMS star rating of 4 out of 5 (high-band), above the 3.2-star national average.
How does Down East Community Hospital perform on quality measures?
0 of 6 compared mortality, safety, and readmission measures rate better than the national average at Down East Community Hospital (sparse better-share tercile); 0 rate worse (quiet).
What do patients say about Down East Community Hospital?
Down East Community Hospital reports 17 HCAHPS patient-experience domain scores.
What are the infection rates at Down East Community Hospital?
Down East Community Hospital tracks 6 healthcare-associated infection types (CDC NHSN). 0 are better than the national benchmark, 0 are worse, and 0 are at the national average.
Does Down East Community Hospital have emergency services?
Yes, Down East Community Hospital provides emergency services.
What type of hospital is Down East Community Hospital?
Down East Community Hospital is a Critical Access Hospitals facility with Voluntary non-profit - Private ownership, located in Machias, ME.
How much does Medicare spend at Down East Community Hospital?
1 Medicare spending category is on file for Down East Community Hospital, per episode vs. the national median.
Does Down East Community Hospital offer maternal health services?
Yes, Down East Community Hospital reports 4 maternal health measures.
Read our methodology & full data source list · Source: CMS Hospital Compare · measure windows