Penn Highlands Elk Designated a 2022 Top 100 Critical Access Hospital

Penn Highlands Elk, located in St. Marys, Pennsylvania, today announced it has been recognized as a 2022 Top 100 Critical Access Hospital. 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™.

“We are extremely honored to receive this award,” said Bradley Chapman, President, Penn Highlands Elk. “This was made possible through the hard work and dedication of our board, physicians and employees and their commitment to excellence here at Penn Highlands Elk. There are over 1,350 CAHs in the US and to be in the top 100 is a great achievement and we are proud to share this honor with the communities we serve.”

“Despite unprecedented adversity, rural providers continue to display resiliency and a steadfast commitment to their communities,” said Michael Topchik, National Leader, The Chartis Center for Rural Health. “Honoring the Top 100 is one of the highpoints of our year. We are delighted to recognize the exceptional performance and innovation of this year’s recipients, particularly in light of the extraordinary challenges facing America’s rural health safety net.”

Over the course of the last 12 years, 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 footprints, 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.