Prairie Lakes Healthcare System Named Top 100 Rural and Community Hospital by Chartis Center

Prairie Lakes Healthcare System (PLHS), a division of Sanford Health, announced it has been recognized as a 2026 Top 100 Rural & Community Hospital by The Chartis Center for Rural Health. The Top 100 awards program celebrates outstanding performance annually among the nation’s rural hospitals based on the results of the Chartis Rural Hospital Performance INDEX?. PLHS has received this award 11 consecutive years.

“Earning this recognition year after year for more than a decade speaks to the consistency, compassion and clinical excellence our staff bring to patients every day,” said John Allen, President and Chief Executive Officer of PLHS. “We are proud to deliver nationally recognized care right here in rural South Dakota.”

“The delivery of care within rural communities is perhaps more complex today than at any point in recent memory. This year’s Top 100 Rural & Community Hospitals have emerged as true leaders – committed to their mission through a powerful combination of resilience, dedication and innovation,” said Michael Topchik, Executive Director of The Chartis Center for Rural Health. “We’re delighted to recognize this year’s winners and celebrate their Top 100 status.”

Now in its 16th year, the INDEX is the industry’s most comprehensive and objective assessment of rural hospital performance. Leveraging publicly available data, the INDEX is utilized nationwide by rural hospitals, health systems with rural affiliates, hospital associations, and state offices of rural health to measure and monitor performance across a variety of areas impacting hospital operations, quality, patient perspective and finance.