Becker's Hospital Review has named the 20 best community hospitals, defined as hospitals with no or limited teaching programs and 325 or fewer beds, in America. Each hospital included on this list was selected using scores in a number of publicly-available indicators including patient safety, outcomes and satisfaction and by rankings on industry lists, including hospital rankings by Thomson Reuters, U.S. News & World Report and HealthGrades. Note: Hospitals are listed in alphabetical order.
Aspirus Wausau Hospital (Wausau, Wisc.)
Aspirus Wausau (Wisc.) Hospital is 321-bed hospital serving residents of north central Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Aspirus Wausau Hospital is an American Nurses Association Magnet nursing facility, is staffed by 350 physicians in 35 specialties, and was identified as one of America's 50 Best Hospitals in 2009 by HealthGrades. Best known for its world-class cardiovascular program, Aspirus Wausau Hospital also provides leading-edge cancer, trauma, women's health and spine and neurological care. The hospital has received HealthGrades' Outstanding Patient Experience Award, which recognizes the top 15 percent of hospitals in the nation for patient satisfaction, as well as HealthGrades' specialty excellence awards in pulmonary care, women's health, stroke care and general surgery. The specialty excellence awards recognize the top 10 percent of all hospitals in the nation for services in a number of medical specialties.
Aurora West Allis Memorial Hospital (West Allis, Wis.)
Aurora West Allis Memorial Hospital is a 199-bed hospital located in West Allis, Wis. The hospital features comprehensive inpatient and outpatient medical services and surgery, emergency services, wound care, pain management, radiology services and a National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers-accredited breast cancer center. The hospital received HealthGrades' Distinguished Hospital Award in Clinical Excellence and Patient Safety Excellence Award in 2009. The Patient Safety Excellence Award recognizes hospitals that score in the top 15 percent of all eligible hospitals in the nation for patient safety. The hospital was also named to Thomson Reuters' list of 100 Top Hospitals in 2008 and received HealthGrades' specialty excellence awards in general surgery and stroke care.
Aurora BayCare Medical Center (Green Bay, Wis.)
Aurora BayCare Medical Center is a 167-bed community hospital in Green Bay, Wis. The hospital has received numerous accolades for its programs, including recognition as the top performing hospital in the country as judged by quality indicators by the CMS-sponsored Premier Healthcare Alliance Quality Initiative. The hospital was recently named a Top 100 Hospital for Cardiovascular Care by Thomson Reuters and was recognized by The Institute for Safe Medication Practices for accomplishments in patient safety. The hospital also features an American College of Surgeons' Commission on Cancer-approved community hospital comprehensive cancer program and is an American Nurses Association Magnet award winner. Aurora BayCare has also received HealthGrades' Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence, Outstanding Patient Experience Award and Patient Safety Excellence Award.
Bon Secours Memorial Regional Medical Center (Mechanicsville, Va.)
Bon Secours Memorial Regional Medical Center opened its doors in 1998 to serve residents in suburban Hanover and Henrico Counties, rural Virginia's Northern Neck and the city of Richmond, Va. The 221-bed hospital ranks among the top 10 percent of the hospitals in the country for overall cardiac services and among the top 5 percent of all hospitals in the country for cardiac surgery according to HealthGrades. Bon Secours was named a Distinguished Hospital for Clinical Excellence by HealthGrades and received the group's Women's Health Excellence Award in 2009, which recognizes the top five percent of hospitals in the nation for women's services. The hospital is also home to a Commission on Cancer-approved community hospital comprehensive cancer program and features the cutting-edge da Vinci Surgical System for minimally-invasive robotic surgery.
Desert Valley Hospital (Victorville, Calif.)
Desert Valley Hospital is an 83-bed acute-care hospital located in Victorville, Calif. The hospital is part of Prime Healthcare Services, which was founded in 2001 by Prem Reddy, MD. Desert Valley is integrated with Desert Valley Medical Group, one of the largest multi-specialty medical groups in the area. It was named to Thomson Reuters' list of 100 Top Hospitals in 2008 and received HealthGrades' Patient Safety Excellence Award in 2009. The hospital offers comprehensive state-of-the-art digital diagnostic, medical and surgical procedures including emergency care, women's care, cardiac care and outpatient physical therapy.
Duncan Regional Hospital (Duncan, Okla.)
Duncan (Oklahoma) Regional Hospital is a 192-bed non-profit hospital that opened in 1977. The hospital was named a Top 100 Hospital by Thomson Reuters in 2008 and received HealthGrades' Patient Safety Excellence Award in 2009. The hospital offers a variety of medical services including surgery, women's services, diagnostic imaging, a comprehensive rehabilitation unit, cardiac rehabilitation, a cancer center and home and hospice care. Duncan Regional also features a wellness center and medi-spa, which offers fitness, nutrition, massage and skin care services.
Holland Hospital (Holland, Mich.)
Holland Hospital has received numerous national and regional recognitions for its services and patient care. The 171-bed hospital is a Magnet hospital for excellence in nursing and is the only hospital in western Michigan to receive the honor. The hospital has been named to Thomson Reuters' list of 100 Top Hospitals for four years running and was named to Modern Healthcare's 100 Best Places to Work in Healthcare in 2008. Holland Hospital has also been named one of the "Best and Brightest" companies in Michigan by the Michigan Business and Professional Association and received HealthGrades' Outstanding Patient Experience Award and its Patient Safety Excellence Award, both in 2009.
Meadows Regional Medical Center (Vidalia, Ga.)
Meadows Regional Medical Center is an 87-bed hospital located in Vidalia, Ga. The hospital is the only Joint Commission-accredited hospital in a four county area and provides a number of services to its patients including cancer care, critical care, heart care, orthopedics, radiology, pediatrics, urology, emergency care, women's services and rehabilitation. Meadows Regional has been named to Thomson Reuters' list of 100 Top Hospitals for three years in a row and received HealthGrades' Outstanding Patient Experience Award in 2009. The hospital is also five-star rated by HealthGrades in hip fracture repair and respiratory services and received the Georgia Hospital Association's Economic Impact Award in 2006.
Middlesex Hospital (Middletown, Conn.)
Middlesex Hospital is a 168-bed non-profit hospital that has received numerous recognitions for its quality services. The hospital was named to Thomson Reuters' list of 100 Top Hospitals in 2008 and received HealthGrades' Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence, Pulmonary Care Excellence Award, Critical Care Excellence Award and Gastrointestinal Care and Surgery Excellence Award. Middlesex was designated as one of only 11 demonstration sites across the country for piloting Medicare pay-for-performance. The hospital is staffed by nearly 350 active physicians from all major medical specialties and is home to a Commission on Cancer-approved community hospital comprehensive cancer program.
Newton-Wellesley Hospital (Newton, Mass.)
Newton-Wellesley Hospital is a 234-bed hospital of Partners HealthCare, a network founded by Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. The hospital is nationally recognized for its services by a number of organizations. It has been named a top 100 hospital by Thomson Reuters for five consecutive years and received HealthGrades' Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence and Outstanding Patient Experience Award in 2009. The hospital also received the Boston Business Journal's Best Places to Work Award in 2007 and 2008. Newton-Wellesley has a full range of medical, surgical and specialty services as well as intensive care, coronary care, pediatrics, obstetrics, psychiatric services and urgent care services.
Palm Beach Gardens Hospital (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.)
Palm Beach Gardens Hospital is a 199-bed hospital serving the healthcare needs of Palm Beach County for nearly 40 years. The hospital was named one of the best 50 hospitals in America by HealthGrades and has received HealthGrades' award for clinical excellence for the last three years and its award for patient safety from 2007-2009. Palm Beach Gardens also earned HealthGrades' Cardiac Excellence Award as well as the organization's Women's Health Excellence Award. The hospital has also received the American Heart Association's Level Three Annual Performance Achievement Award, the Association's highest honor, and is the only hospital is Florida to earn this highest possible ranking. The hospital is currently undergoing a $13.6 million expansion to its emergency department, which will more than double the size of the current department and better help the hospital meet the needs of growing north Palm Beach communities.
Parma Community General Hospital (Parma, Ohio)
Parma Community General Hospital is a 321-bed community hospital in Parma, Ohio, with a medical staff of more than 500 physicians in more than 30 specialties and a comprehensive campus of services. The hospital was named to HealthGrades' list of America's 50 Best Hospitals in 2009 and has received the organization's clinical excellence and women's health excellence award. The hospital is home to a Commission on Cancer-approved community hospital comprehensive cancer program, an orthopedic center and rehabilitation program, bariatric services, a heart and vascular center and a pain center.
Parkland Health Center (Farmington, Mo.)
Parkland Health Center in Farmington, Mo., part of BJC HealthCare, is a 130-bed hospital. It was named to Thomson Reuters' list of 100 Top Hospitals in 2008 and received HealthGrades' Outstanding Patient Experience Award in 2009. The hospital is five-star rated by HealthGrades for heart attack care. Parkland Health Center provides comprehensive services for maternity, pediatrics, laboratory services, radiology, cardiac rehabilitation, outpatient and inpatient surgery, physical therapy and a diabetes clinic with renal dialysis services.
Providence Regional Medical Center Everett (Everett, Wash.)
Providence Regional Medical Center, part of Providence Health & Services, was honored as a top 100 hospital by Thomson Reuters in 2009 and as a Distinguished Hospital for Clinical Excellence by HealthGrades for three years running. The 268-bed hospital is a 2009 recipient of HealthGrades' Cardiac Care Excellence Award, which recognizes the top 10 percent of hospitals in the nation for cardiac care. Providence Regional was also named the 2009 employer of the year by the Everett Chamber of Commerce. The hospital is currently in the midst of building a 680,000-square-foot, $600 million patient tower that will house an additional 368 beds, most of them in private rooms.
Poudre Valley Hospital (Fort Collins, Colo.)
Poudre Valley Hospital is part of the two-hospital, non-profit Poudre Valley Health System based in Fort Collins, Colo. The 281-bed hospital features the Heart Center of the Rockies — Colorado's third largest cardiac program — and a Commission on Cancer-approved community hospital comprehensive cancer program, Poudre Valley Cancer Treatment and Research Center. The hospital was named as one of the best 65 community hospitals in the United States in 2009 by U.S. News & World Report thanks to high-performing service lines in endocrinology, gastrointestinal disorders, gynecology, orthopedics, respiratory disorders and urology. Poudre Valley was also named as a Distinguished Hospital for Clinical Excellence and as a recipient of the Patient Safety Excellence Award by HealthGrades in 2009.
Rio Grande Regional Hospital (McAllen, Texas)
Rio Grande Regional Hospital in McAllen, Texas, an HCA-affiliated hospital, was founded in 1982. The 320-bed hospital's physicians represent more than 35 specialties. The hospital was recently named to HealthGrades' list of America's 50 Best Hospitals and received HealthGrades' Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence in 2009. HealthGrades also included the hospital in the top 5 percent of all hospitals in the nation for women's services by HealthGrades. Rio Grande Regional Hospital features the only accredited diabetes management center by the American Diabetes Association in the area and the only bariatric designated center of excellence by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery south of San Antonio.
Rutherford Hospital (Rutherford, N.C.)
Rutherford Hospital is a 143-bed acute-care hospital providing inpatient, outpatient and emergency services primarily to the residents of Rutherford County, N.C. The hospital was recently named to Thomson Reuters' list of 100 Top Hospitals and to Cleverley & Associates' list of 100 top hospitals based on the value they provide to their communities. Rutherford also received HealthGrades' Gastrointestinal Surgery Excellence Award in 2009. The hospital provides comprehensive medical services to its community members including cardiology services, cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation, cancer care, emergency services, women's services, neurology, nephrology, orthopedics, dermatology and cosmetic surgery.
Saint Elizabeth Regional Medical Center (Lincoln, Neb.)
Saint Elizabeth Regional Medical Center is a 257-bed, non-profit hospital in Lincoln, Neb., and was named as one of the 100 Top Hospitals in the nation by Thomson Reuters in 2007. The hospital received HealthGrades' Outstanding Patient Experience Award and Patient Safety Excellence Award in 2009. The hospital has a medical staff of 475 physicians, 92 percent of whom are board certified. Saint Elizabeth is recognized as a Magnet hospital for excellence in nursing and is home to a Commission on Cancer-approved community hospital comprehensive cancer program.
St. John West Shore Hospital (Westlake, Ohio)
St. John West Shore Hospital, part of Cleveland-based Sisters of Charity Health System, is a 165-bed hospital in West Lake, Ohio. The hospital has received Thomson Reuters' (formerly Solucient's) award for the top 100 ICUs in the nations. The hospital was also named to HealthGrades' list of America's 50 Best Hospitals in America. St. John West Shore has received HealthGrades' Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence and Patient Safety Excellence Award. The hospital has also received the organization's awards for excellence in stroke and pulmonary care. The hospital is home to a Level III trauma center and a Commission on Cancer-approved community hospital cancer program.
St. Mary's Jefferson Memorial Hospital (Jefferson City, Tenn.)
St. Mary's Jefferson Memorial Hospital, part of Mercy Health Partners, is a 58-bed hospital in Jefferson City, Tenn. The hospital, which opened in 2001, offers advanced equipment and physicians trained in specialty areas such as oncology and orthopedics as well as outpatient surgery and diagnostic testing. St. Mary's Jefferson was honored as one of Thomson Reuters' 100 Top Hospitals in 2008. It was selected as one of only 23 facilities in the nation to receive the inaugural Everest Award for long-term improvement from Thomson Reuters and also received HealthGrades' Outstanding Patient Experience Award in 2009.