For the Rapids City Times

WISCONSIN RAPIDS – Six Aspirus rural hospitals in Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula were recently recognized among the nation’s best by The Chartis Center for Rural Health.

Hospitals recognized as a Top 100 facility scored in the top 100 among all Critical Access Hospitals or Rural & Community Hospitals in the United States.

Aspirus Riverview Hospital in Wisconsin Rapids was named one of the Top 100 Rural & Community Hospitals. Aspirus Langlade Hospital in Antigo, Aspirus Medford Hospital, Aspirus Ironwood Hospital in Ironwood, MI, Aspirus Iron River Hospital in Iron River, MI, and Aspirus Keweenaw Hospital in Laurium, MI were named among the Top 100 Critical Access Hospitals in the United States.

Regarded as the industry’s most significant designations of performance excellence, the Top 100 Rural & Community Hospital and the Top 100 Critical Access Hospital awards are based upon the results of the Hospital Strength INDEX® from iVantage Health Analytics. The INDEX measures hospitals across eight pillars of hospital strength: Inpatient Share Ranking, Outpatient Share Ranking, Cost, Charge, Quality, Outcomes, Patient Perspective, and Financial Stability.

“We have an outstanding team that accepts nothing but the best on a daily basis,” said Aspirus President and CEO Matt Heywood. “Aspirus takes pride in providing top-notch health care in rural areas. Patients are our top priority and it shows in the outcomes we are achieving.”

The INDEX is the industry’s most comprehensive and objective assessment of rural provider performance and its results are the basis for many of rural health care’s most prominent awards, advocacy efforts and legislative initiatives. These achievements validate the daily commitment of Top 100 hospitals to providing the best health care possible to the community, while maintaining efficient and effective facilities.

“In an era of increased complexity and uncertainty, Top 100 hospitals have established themselves as a bellwether for rural provider performance,” said Michael Topchik, National Leader of The Chartis Center for Rural Health. “Top 100 status is a real indicator of how proactive these hospitals are when it comes to pushing for performance improvement in areas such as quality, outcomes, patient safety, market share and finance.”