UVM Health Network - Central Vermont Medical Center named 2018 Top 20 Rural & Community Hospital

Release Date: 
July 10, 2018

Aerial view of Central Vermont Medical Center

Berlin, Vt. – For the second year running, The University of Vermont Health Network – Central Vermont Medical Center (CVMC) has been named one of the nation’s Top 20 Rural & Community Hospitals by the National Rural Health Association (NRHA).

The ranking is based on indices including quality (such as the median time from emergency department arrival to hospital admission), clinical outcomes (including rates for 30-day heart failure, pneumonia and hospital-wide readmissions), and patient perspective on the care and services they receive.

Rural & Community Hospitals are defined as short-term, acute care, non-specialty, non-federal hospitals with fewer than 200 beds in ZIP codes designated rural by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy. This study examined 811 rural and community hospitals nationwide.

The hospitals were evaluated by NRHA and The Chartis Center for Rural Health using iVantage Health Analytics’ Hospital Strength INDEX®. The eight key indices analyzed were: quality, outcomes, patient perspective, cost, charge, financial stability, inpatient market share and outpatient market share. The results found CVMC to be performing in the top 2 percent of all rural hospitals nationwide.

“We’re grateful to our providers and staff for their efforts to support the delivery of high quality, safe patient care and services,” said Anna Noonan, CVMC’s president and chief operating officer. “This achievement confirms our commitment to our patients, families and community. Our pledge is to continue to enhance the patient and family experience by providing the highest quality care, close to home, to the residents of central Vermont.”

The hospitals were recognized at NRHA’s recent Rural Health Innovation Hospital Summit in New Orleans. The Top 20 Rural & Community Hospitals, in alphabetical order, are:

  1. Avera Queen of Peace Hospital - Mitchell, S.D.
  2. Avera St. Luke’s Hospital - Aberdeen, S.D.
  3. Avera St. Mary’s Hospital - Pierre, S.D.
  4. Baxter Regional Medical Center - Mountain Home, Ark.
  5. Bozeman Health - Bozeman, Mont.
  6. Castleview Hospital - Price, Utah
  7. Cedar City Hospital - Cedar City, Utah
  8. Chippewa County War Memorial Hospital - Sault Sainte Marie, Mich.
  9. Davis Medical Center - Elkins, W. Va.
  10. Faith Regional Health Services - Norfolk, Neb.
  11. Ivinson Memorial Hospital - Laramie, Wyo.
  12. Major Health Partners - Shelbyville, Ind.
  13. Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center - Jasper, Ind.
  14. MidMichigan Medical Center - Alpena, Mich.
  15. Northern Maine Medical Center - Fort Kent, Maine
  16. Olympic Medical Center - Port Angeles, Wash.
  17. Prairie Lakes Healthcare Systems - Watertown, S.D.
  18. Sheridan Memorial Hospital - Sheridan, Wyo.
  19. St. Peter’s Hospital - Helena, Mont.
  20. University of Vermont Health Network - Central Vermont Medical Center - Berlin, Vt.

CVMC has also been recognized as a Top 100 Rural & Community Hospital from 2016 to 2018.

“The National Rural Health Association is committed to ensuring our members have the best information to manage their hospitals,” said Brock Slabach, NRHA membership services senior vice president. “And we’re pleased to recognize the accomplishments of these rural community hospitals.”

To learn more, visit www.cvmc.org/about-cvmc/awards-and-recognition and www.ivantageindex.com/2018-methodology/.

About The University of Vermont Health Network - Central Vermont Medical Center

Central Vermont Medical Center (CVMC) is the primary health care provider for 66,000 people who live and work in central Vermont. We provide 24-hour emergency care and offer a full spectrum of inpatient and outpatient services at the main hospital and CVMC’s 23 community-based medical group practices. These include two ExpressCare clinics, open 7 days a week, and CVMC's Woodridge Rehabilitation and Nursing, a 153-bed long- and short-term care facility. Our professional staff includes more than 200 physicians and 70 advanced practice providers representing 25 medical specialties.

We employ more than 1,700 full- and part-time employees and depend upon hundreds of volunteers and donors who help carry out our mission of working collaboratively to meet the needs and improve the health of our community.

Central Vermont Medical Center is a member of OneCareVermont, the statewide accountable care organization.

About The University of Vermont Health Network

The University of Vermont Health Network is an academic health system comprised of six affiliate hospitals, a multi-specialty medical group and a home health agency. We serve residents of Vermont and northern New York with a shared mission – working together, we improve people’s lives.  Our partners include:

Our 4,000 health care professionals are driven to provide high-quality, cost-efficient care as close to home as possible. Strengthened by our academic connection to The University of Vermont, each of our hospitals remains committed to its local community by providing compassionate, personal care shaped by the latest medical advances and delivered by highly skilled experts.