ENTERPRISE — Wallowa Memorial Hospital has again been named a top 100 critical access hospital.

The annual recognition program from the Chartis Center for Rural Health honors outstanding performance among the nation’s rural hospitals based on the results of the Chartis Rural Hospital Performance Index. The hospital announced the accolade on Monday, Feb. 19.

The designation “critical access hospital” is given to eligible rural hospitals by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The designation is designed to reduce the financial vulnerability of rural hospitals and improve access to health care by keeping essential services in rural communities. As of July 2022, there were 1,360 critical access hospitals in the United States.

This is the 10th time Wallowa Memorial has made the list since 2010. It’s the only Oregon hospital to receive this recognition in 2023.

Wallowa Memorial Hospital’s CEO Larry Davy said in a press release that the honor “would not be possible without each and every one of our dedicated team members including our top-notch providers.”

He said that Wallowa Memorial Hospital continues to earn spots on these lists thanks to the continued support of its board of directors, the Wallowa Valley Health Care Foundation and the community.

“Quality and patient perspective are two of the major criteria for achieving this award,” Davy said.

Said Michael Topchik, national leaders of the Chartis Center for Rural Health: “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.”

“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,” he said.

Now in its 13th year, the Chartist Index assesses the performance of rural hospitals by using publicly available data to measure and monitor performance across a variety of areas impacting hospital operations and finance.

Wallowa Memorial Hospital is a 25-bed critical access hospital and Level IV trauma center. Built in 2007 to replace an aging facility, Wallowa Memorial Hospital serves county residents and visitors. To learn more about the hospital, go to its website, www.wchcd.org.

The Chartis Center for Rural Health is part of The Chartis Group, the nation’s largest independent health care consulting firm.