WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Committee for Quality Assurance, a private, non-profit organization dedicated to improving health care quality, in conjunction with the American Diabetes Association, recently announced that 40 area physicians have received recognition from the Diabetes Physician Recognition Program for providing quality care to patients with diabetes.

The NCQA and the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association also announced that 33 area physicians received recognition from the Heart/Stroke Recognition Program for providing quality care to patients with cardiovascular disease or who have had a stroke. Many area doctors received recognition from both programs. The physicians were sponsored by Central and Western Maine Regional Physician Hospital Organization in their application process. The recognition is valid for three years.

Those physicians recognized by both programs include:

Gregory F. Bianconi, M.D., Lisbon Family Practice; Thomas J. Bosma, M.D., Mechanic Falls Family Practice Center; Charles H. Burns, M.D., Family Health Care Associates; Lise M. Cloutier, M.D., Central Maine Internal Medicine; Suzanne O. Dater, M.D., Bridgton Hospital Internal Medicine; Thomas J. DeLuca, D.O., River Valley Internal Medicine; Peter B.H. Elias, M.D., Family Health Care Associates; Stephen A. Fairchild, M.D.; Lisbon Family Practice; Eugene J. Ferguson, M.D., Central Main Internal Medicine; Eric M. Gerchman, M.D., Fryeburg Family Medicine; Kimberly K. Gooch, M.D.; Shannon Kenney, M.D., Topsham Family Practice; Lisa M. Kleinert, M.D., BHPG Internal Medicine; Dieter Kreckel, M.D., Swift River Healthcare/Elsemore Dixfield Center; John Kroger, M.D., Swift River Healthcare/Elsemore Dixfield Center; Jacob A. Ledesma, M.D., River Valley Internal Medicine; William M. Lee, M.D., Central Maine Internal Medicine; Sarah K. Skelton, M.D., Family Health Care Associates; Michael R. Stadnicki, M.D., Central Maine Family Practice; Lydia A. Thorp, M.D., Central Maine Family Practice.

Physicians recognized by the Diabetes Physician Recognition Program include:

Stacia C. Baker, M.D., Baker Family Health, LLC; G. Sean Callender, M.D., Elsemore Dixfield Center; Shannon M. Deschenes, D.O., Central Maine Acute Care Clinic; Wesley Fairfield, M.D., Central Maine Endocrinology; Stephen J. Goss, D.O., Franklin Health Internal Medicine, Trisha Gushue, D.O., Central Maine Family Practice; Deborah J. Hamilton, M.D., Franklin Health Wilton Family Practice; Stacy L. Hershfeld, D.O., Franklin Health Internal Medicine; Manju Hilary, M.D., Gray Family Health Center; Paul M. Laband, M.D., BHPG Internal Medicine; Janice R. Lee, D.O., Livermore Falls Family Practice; Dana W. Little, M.D., Poland Community Health Center; Rick Marden, M.D., Swift River Healthcare/Elsemore Dixfield Center; Robert M. O’Reilly, D.O. Franklin Health Internal Medicine; Maylene Peralta, M.D., Central Maine Endocrinology; Nathan Raby, D.O., Poland Community Health Center; David L. Rice, M.D., Franklin Health Internal Medicine; Pamela E. Ross, M.D., Central Maine Internal Medicine; Raymond H. Stone, D.O., Minot Avenue Family Practice; Gerald P. Tinguely, M.D., Franklin Health Wilton Family Practice.

Physicians recognized by the Heart/Stroke Recognition Program include:

David Abisalih, M.D., Androscoggin Cardiology Associates; Albert Aniel, M.D., River Valley Internal Medicine; Lynette J. Fahnestock, D.O., Maine Cardiology Associates; James G. Joseph, M.D., Central Maine Internal Medicine; Dervilla McCann, M.D., Androscoggin Cardiology Associates; James P. Parker, M.D., Maine Cardiology Associates; Michael R. Rifkin, M.D., Family Health Care Associates; Craig M. Smith, D.O., North Bridgton Family Practice; Raymond J. Tardif, M.D., Family Health Care Associates; Roy J. Ulin, M.D., Maine Cardiology Associates; Frederick A. Van Mourik, M.D., Gray Family Health Center; Robert J. Weiss, M.D., Androscoggin Cardiology Associates; Peggy D. Wyman, M.D., Central Maine Family Practice.