In recognition of National Rural Health Day 2024 which took place on Nov. 21, the Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health (PORH) announced that sixteen of Pennsylvania’s rural hospitals have been recognized as winners of the 2024 Performance Leadership Award.
Compiled by The Chartis Center for Rural Health, the Performance Leadership Awards recognize top quartile performance (i.e., 75th percentile or above) among rural hospitals in quality, outcomes, and patient perspective.
The Performance Leadership Awards are based on the results of the Chartis Rural Hospital Performance INDEX®, a comprehensive and objective framework for assessing how rural hospitals perform. INDEX benchmarks are relied on by rural hospitals, health systems with rural footprints, hospital associations, and state offices of rural health to measure performance across multiple areas impacting hospital operations
and finance.
Pennsylvania’s critical access and other small rural hospitals were recognized for the following awards:
Awards for quality
- Barnes-Kasson County Hospital, Susquehanna, PA
- Conemaugh Meyersdale Medical Center, Meyersdale, PA
- Fulton County Medical Center, McConnellsburg, PA
- Geisinger Jersey Shore Hospital, Jersey Shore, PA
Awards for outcomes
- Evangelical Community Hospital, Lewisburg, PA
- Geisinger Lewistown Hospital, Lewistown, PA
- Penn Highlands Brookville, Brookville, PA
- Schuylkill Medical Center-South Jackson Street, Pottsville, PA
- UPMC Bedford, Everett, PA
- UPMC Horizon, Greenville, PA
- UPMC Northwest, Seneca, PA
- UPMC Somerset, Somerset, PA
- Wayne Memorial Hospital, Honesdale, PA
- WellSpan Waynesboro Hospital, Waynesboro, PA
Awards for patient perspective
- Conemaugh Meyersdale Medical Center, Meyersdale, PA
- Conemaugh Miners Medical Center, Hastings, PA
- LECOM Corry Memorial Hospital, Corry, PA
“Our rural hospitals play a crucial role in enhancing health care quality, patient experience, and overall outcomes, while navigating the complexities of modern health care systems,” said Sandee Kyler, PORH rural health systems manager and deputy director. “The Leadership Awards recognize the exceptional efforts and innovations these hospitals demonstrate in meeting high standards of care. Through their dedication, rural hospitals are driving positive change and achieving remarkable success, despite the challenges they face. This recognition celebrates their unwavering commitment to improving patient care and shaping the future of health care in rural communities.”
“The prestigious awards for quality care and patient outcomes to these small rural hospitals speak volumes about their dedication to excellent care and we are fortunate to have them as health care providers throughout the Commonwealth,” said Lannette Fetzer, PORH quality improvement coordinator. “I am so proud of their tremendous accomplishments and congratulate them all.”
“The Performance Leadership Awards capture the commitment, diligence and innovation with which America’s rural hospitals approach the delivery of care within their communities,” said Troy Brown, Network Consultant, The Chartis Center for Rural Health. “It’s a tremendous honor to be able to recognize the efforts of this year’s award winners and celebrate their achievements.”
The Chartis Center for Rural Health provides services in strategic, clinical, financial, and digital and technology transformation. Other agency brands include Greeley, Healthscape Advisors, and Jarrard. The agency also addresses critical industry priorities like health equity, practitioner burnout, and rural health. More information is available at chartis.com.
PORH was established in 1991 to enhance the health status of rural Pennsylvanians and strengthen the delivery and quality of care in the communities in which they live. Each year, the organization presents awards to recognize rural health programs and individuals who have made substantial contributions to rural health in Pennsylvania. To learn more about the Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health, visit porh.psu.edu.
For more details about the Chartis Rural Hospital Performance INDEX, contact Billy Balfour at wbalfour@chartis.com.