Avera Sacred Heart Recognized as a Top 20 Rural and Community Hospital
Avera Sacred Heart Hospital was recently named one of the top 20 rural and community hospitals in the country, according to the National Rural Health Association (NRHA).
The organization announced the 20 highest-ranked prospective payment system hospitals based on an evaluation by the Chartis Center for Rural Health. The hospitals are identified using the Chartis Rural Hospital Performance INDEX, the most comprehensive and objective assessment of rural PPS hospital performance. These hospitals will be recognized May 22 during NRHA’s Annual Rural Health Conference in Atlanta.
The determining factors for the top 20 rural and community hospitals are based on eight indices: inpatient market share, outpatient market share, quality, outcomes, patient perspective, cost, charge and finance.
“This is a team effort, and Avera is proud of the work physicians and staff have contributed to Avera Sacred Heart Hospital achieving this designation,” said Avera President and CEO James Dover. “We strive to offer an exceptional patient, employee and community experience, and we appreciate when we receive acknowledgement from organizations such as the NRHA that we are achieving that.”
“The Chartis Center for Rural Health recently shared that we are a Top 100 Rural and Community Hospital, and we are one of only a dozen hospitals in the nation to have attained placement on that list each of the 10 years it has been released,” added Doug Ekeren, Regional President and CEO of Avera Sacred Heart Hospital. “To now learn from the NRHA that we land in the top 20 adds to the sense of accomplishment. Our recognition as a top health care provider means our community can count on us to deliver the services they need now and in the future.”
Avera Sacred Heart Hospital previously made the top 20 list in 2020 and 2022. As noted earlier, it has also been part of the Chartis Center for Rural Health Top 100 Rural and Community Hospital list each of the 10 years it has been released.