Salt Lake City, UT -- (ReleaseWire) -- 03/26/2021 --Five Intermountain Healthcare hospitals in Utah have been ranked among the top 100 Rural & Community Hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals in the nation for 2021 by a leading rural healthcare organization.

The Chartis Center for Rural Health ranked Bear River Valley Hospital, Cedar City Hospital, and Sevier Valley Hospital among the nation's top rural facilities, and Garfield Memorial Hospital and Sanpete Valley Hospitals, were ranked as top rural critical access hospitals. Intermountain accounted for all but two honored facilities from Utah.

For the past 11 years, the Chartis Center's annual rankings have recognized outstanding performance among the nation's rural facilities. Hospitals are scored in 36 independent indicators across eight categories, such as quality of care, patient outcomes, affordability, and financial efficiency. Hospitals with the highest overall scores are included in the annual rankings.

"Being named to the Top 100 Rural Hospitals list is a tremendous honor," says Brandon Vonk, Bear River Valley Hospital administrator. "Our caregivers are committed to providing the highest quality healthcare at the lowest possible cost. Sustaining high-quality patient experiences with positive outcomes has been particularly challenging during the pandemic over the past year, and it's nice to see that work recognized."

This achievement is especially meaningful considering the current volatility of rural hospitals nationwide.

According to Chartis, nearly 25% of all rural hospitals are vulnerable to closure, and despite these national trends, no Intermountain rural hospitals in Utah have been closed. That stability is partially attributed to the strength of Intermountain's local facilities and the systemwide model and commitment to telehealth and rural charity care.

"We're delighted to be able to spotlight the efforts of these facilities," says Michael Topchik of The Chartis Center for Rural Health.

"We're very excited to be recognized in the 100 Critical Access Hospitals list," says Alberto Vasquez, Garfield Memorial administrator. "Garfield's caregivers are dedicated and compassionate individuals who provide outstanding care to their communities. I'm so proud to be associated with this outstanding group of caregivers."

About Intermountain Healthcare
Intermountain Healthcare is a not-for-profit system of 24 hospitals, 215 clinics, a Medical Group with 2,500 employed physicians and advanced practice clinicians, a health insurance company called SelectHealth, and other health services in Idaho, Utah, and Nevada. Intermountain is widely recognized as a leader in transforming healthcare by using evidence-based best practices to consistently deliver high-quality outcomes and sustainable costs.