GRMC named Top 100 Rural & Community Hospital by The Chartis Center for Rural Health

Garrett Regional Medical Center (GRMC) has been recognized as the 2023 Top 100 Rural & Community Hospital by the National Rural Health Association and The Chartis Center for Rural Health. Compiled by The Chartis Center for Rural Health, this annual recognition program honors outstanding performance among the nation’s rural hospitals based on the results of the Chartis Rural Hospital Performance INDEX™.

GRMC was one of only two hospitals in Maryland to make the Top 100 Rural & Community Hospitals list this year.

“This national recognition for our hospital is yet again a true testament and reflection of our dedicated and caring staff who fulfill our mission in treating our patients like family,” said Mark Boucot, President and CEO of GRMC and Potomac Valley Hospital. “It is a tremendous honor for GRMC to receive such prestigious recognition for the fifth consecutive year.”

Moving to a full member of the WVU Health System last July has enabled GRMC to continue to grow the specialty services available to the 46,000 people in GRMC’s service area, which includes parts of eight counties across Maryland, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. GRMC now provides cancer care, urology and nephrology, dermatology, cardiopulmonary, cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation, and heart and vascular care, among other services.

“Across the nation, top 100 rural providers continue to serve as a source of inspiration for hospital leadership teams and staff working diligently every day to improve the delivery of care within their local communities,” said Michael Topchik, National Leader of the Chartis Center for Rural Health. “The list of award winners in each category is as geographically diverse as we’ve seen in some time, which is wonderful to see. We’re thrilled to be able to honor the outstanding efforts of these top-performing rural hospitals.”

Excellent patient outcomes play a key role in the recognition GRMC achieves.

GRMC had no inpatient central line-associated bloodstream infections in 2022, marking nine years since a patient experienced such an infection in the facility. The hospital also ended the past year with no inpatient catheter-associated urinary tract infections, the sixth consecutive year without this type of infection. Further, the hospital has the state’s best Hospital Acquired Condition score in the state for 2022, which is an indicator for reducing preventable complications and assuring patient safety.

Now in its 13th year, the INDEX has established itself as the industry’s most comprehensive and objective assessment of rural hospital performance. Leveraging publicly available data, the INDEX is trusted by rural hospitals, health systems with rural affiliates, hospital associations, and state offices of rural health across the country to measure and monitor performance across a variety of areas impacting hospital operations and finance.