ThedaCare Medical Center-Waupaca Named 2022 Top 100 Critical Access Hospital
ThedaCare Medical Center-Waupaca has been recognized as a 2022 Top 100 Critical Access Hospital. The annual recognition, which is determined by The Chartis Center for Rural Health, honors outstanding performance among the nation’s rural hospitals based on the results of the Hospital Strength INDEX®.
“This designation recognizes ThedaCare’s dedication to improving the health and well-being of our communities by empowering each person to live their unique, best life,” said Kellie Diedrick, Vice President of ThedaCare Medical Centers-New London and Waupaca. “We are incredibly proud of team members who continue to deliver personalized care, at the level of expertise that community members in Wisconsin deserve. We are also grateful to the patients who trust us with their health and care every day.”
ThedaCare Medical Center-Waupaca is among eight of the Top 100 Critical Access Hospitals in the state of Wisconsin. ThedaCare Medical Center-Waupaca was also recognized as a Top 100 Critical Access Hospital in 2021, and a Top 20 Critical Access Hospital in 2020. According to the National Rural Health Association (NRHA), the determining factors for the Top 20 CAHs were based on the results of the Hospital Strength Index and its eight indices of performance: inpatient market share, outpatient market share, quality, outcomes, patient perspective, cost, charge, and financial efficiency.
“Our rural hospitals are special to the communities they serve,” said Diedrick. “We must address specific issues people living in those communities face, including health disparities and ensuring equal access to care for all. Recognitions like the Top 100 CAH honor allows our patients to know the hospital they are coming to is a safe place to receive care, and meeting other high standards of performance.”
The term Critical Access Hospital (CAH) is a designation given to eligible rural hospitals by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
According to CMS, here are some of the criteria for a Critical Access Hospital:
- Have 25 or less acute care beds.
- Maintain an annual average length of stay of 96 hours per patient for acute inpatient care.
- Be 15 to 35 miles away from the nearest hospital, depending on the local system of highways.
- Provide emergency care 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The list of this year’s Top 100 Critical Access Hospitals as well as the INDEX methodology can be found at chartis.com/services/ccrh/top-performing-hospitals.
About ThedaCare
For more than 110 years, ThedaCare® has been committed to improving the health and well-being of the communities it serves in Northeast and Central Wisconsin. The organization delivers care to more than 600,000 residents in 17 counties and employs approximately 7,000 health care professionals. ThedaCare has 180 points of care, including seven hospitals. As an organization committed to being a leader in Population Health, team members are dedicated to empowering people to live their unique best lives. ThedaCare also partners with communities to understand needs, finding solutions together, and encouraging health awareness and action. ThedaCare is the first in Wisconsin to be a Mayo Clinic Care Network Member, giving specialists the ability to consult with Mayo Clinic experts on a patient’s care. ThedaCare is a not-for-profit health system with a level II trauma center, comprehensive cancer treatment, stroke and cardiac programs, as well as primary care.
For more information, visit thedacare.org or follow ThedaCare on social media. Members of the media should call Cassandra Wallace, Public and Media Relations Consultant at 920.442.0328 or the ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Neenah switchboard at 920.729.3100 and ask for the marketing person on call.
