On June 25, the Washington State Hospital Association (WSHA) honored 20 rural hospitals for outstanding quality improvement efforts with its 2025 Critical Access Hospital Achievement of Excellence distinction. The distinctions were announced during WSHA’s annual Rural Hospital Leadership Conference at Campbell’s Resort in Chelan, Washington.

These hospitals demonstrated a strong commitment to advancing patient care by voluntarily submitting data on up to 14 quality measures, including sepsis management, workplace safety, diagnostic accuracy and efforts to reduce health disparities. To earn recognition, each hospital achieved an average score of at least five out of 10 across eligible measures. Lourdes Medical Center was one of six silver winners. There were 14 Gold winners.

This is WSHA’s third year honoring Critical Access hospitals for tracking performance. Critical Access hospitals are those with 25 or fewer beds, that are located more than 35 miles from another hospital, that maintain an average length of stay of 96 hours or less for acute care patients, and that provide 24/7 emergency care services.

To read more, click here: https://www.wsha.org/press-releases/washington-hospitals-earn-wshas-critical-access-hospital-achievement-of-excellence-distinction