Fallon Medical Complex Recognized as a 2022 Top 100 Critical Access Hospital

February 21, 2022 – Fallon Medical Complex (FMC) announced today that it has been recognized as a 2022 Top 100 Critical Access Hospital for the third year in a row. Compiled by The Chartis Center for Rural Health, this annual recognition program, now in its twelfth year, honors outstanding performance among the nation’s rural hospitals based on the results of the Chartis Rural Hospital Performance INDEXTM.

Based entirely on publicly available data, the INDEX is the industry’s most comprehensive and objective assessment of rural hospital performance. Utilizing 50 independent indicators, the INDEX assesses performance across eight pillars of performance that span market-, value- and finance-based categories. The top CAH hospitals are recognized for managing risk, achieving higher quality, securing better outcomes, increasing patient satisfaction, and operating at a lower cost than their peers. The determining factors for the award are based on eight indices: inpatient market share, outpatient market share, quality outcomes, patient perspective, cost, charge, and financial efficiency.

“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.”

Fallon Medical Complex received one of the 100 highest overall scores among all 1,353 Critical Access Hospitals nationwide. States with the highest number of Critical Access Hospital top performers in 2022 are Iowa (19), Kansas (12), Nebraska (10), North Dakota (8) and Wisconsin (8). Across this state, only six of Montana’s 49 Critical Access Hospitals were named to the list: Anaconda, Baker, Dillion, Livingston, Malta and Whitefish.

“We are overjoyed to have been named to this prestigious list for a third year in a row,” commented David Espeland, FMC’s CEO. “The most remarkable part is that it was achieved through a completely third-party, comprehensive evaluation of our organization, which is a strong vote of confidence during the most difficult time that most of us have ever experienced. I am very proud of FMC’s staff for doing all the right things for our patients and residents, day after day, to qualify us again for this elite award.” 

Top 100 Critical Access Hospital Criteria

The Top 100 Critical Access Hospital list is developed by a third-party, non-profit national think tank called the “Chartis Center for Rural Health.” By combining advanced analytics and rural- relevant benchmarks with industry-leading research and expertise, they deliver the knowledge that rural hospital leaders and their advocates need to sustain their missions, improve performance, and improve care within their rural communities. The Chartis Center’s expertise includes network collaboration, strategic and operational advice, quality improvement, and advanced analytics.

The Chartis Center uses its proprietary “Rural Hospital Performance INDEX” to compile its list of the Top 100 CAH’s in the nation. It is the industry's most comprehensive and objective assessment of rural provider performance. Based entirely on publicly available data sets, the INDEX benchmarks performance across eight pillars of performance, including,

1. inpatient market share
2. outpatient market share
3. quality
4. outcomes
5. patient perspective
6. cost
7. charge
8. financial efficiency

The INDEX framework is widely used across the nation by independent rural hospitals, health systems with rural footprints and state offices of rural health. The Top 100 list represents the best CAH’s in the nation, which is comprised of only 7.39% of all licensed and operating Critical Access Hospitals. As of July 16, 2021 there were 1,353 Critical Access Hospitals (CAH’s) located throughout the United States. Only five states have no CAH’s – Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey and Rhode Island. Since 2005, the nation has seen 63 CAH’s go out of business, so the Top 100 list serves as an inspiration to those hospitals struggling to survive during extremely difficult times.