Grundy County Memorial Hospital has been named a 2024 Top 100 Critical Access Hospital. Word of the recognition arrived as the hospital’s new Surgery and Imaging departments are complete and open for patient care after an eighteen-month building project. The hospital’s Lab and Specialty Clinic will be expanded in the final phase of the construction project, which is scheduled for completion this summer. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

GRUNDY CENTER – Grundy County Memorial Hospital-UnityPoint Health (GCMH) is recognized among the nation’s Top 100 Critical Access Hospitals for a fourth consecutive year. The 2024 recognition by the Chartis Center for Rural Health identifies outstanding performance among the nation’s rural hospitals based on the Chartis Performance Index designed specifically for rural hospitals.

GCMH administrator Adam Scherling says it’s gratifying to learn that the hospital continues to perform at a high level and deliver the quality care that is expected by the rural communities served by the hospital.

“The Top 100 recognition is meaningful because it is based on an objective assessment of the hospital’s performance in five distinct areas, including quality of care, financial stability, patient reviews, and market share,” remarks Scherling. “The fourth consecutive year of recognition as a Top 100 Hospital reinforces our amazing people and the culture that creates a consistent pursuit of excellence. It’s especially fitting to receive this honor as we open our new Imaging and Surgery departments that will enhance and expand the services we can offer our rural communities.”

More than 1,300 hospitals are designated as “critical access” facilities across the U.S., including eighty-two in the state of Iowa. GCMH is among twelve Iowa hospitals recognized among the Top 100 for 2024.

“During an era of profound uncertainty for rural healthcare, the Top 100 rural hospitals continue to provide a unique lens through which we can identify innovation and inspiration for how to deliver high quality care,” says Michael Topchik, National Leader, The Chartis Center for Rural Health.

Now in its 14th year, Topchik says the Chartis Performance Index is the industry’s most comprehensive and objective assessment of rural hospital performance. Featuring a methodology utilizing publicly available data, the Index is used to measure and monitor performance across a variety of areas impacting hospital operations and finance.

“It’s important to recognize that the consistent and loyal support of the residents of the rural communities we serve plays a key role in our hospital attaining the Top 100 status,” remarks Scherling. “We appreciate their decision to make GCMH a preferred choice for health care.”

Grundy County Memorial Hospital is a 25-bed critical access hospital affiliated with Grundy County, UnityPoint Health-Waterloo, and the UnityPoint Health system.