ALEDO, Illinois – Genesis Medical Center here marked National Rural Health Day recently by receiving a pair of prestigious national health care awards.
The first came from the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health, according to a Genesis news release on Monday, Nov. 20. The organization tabbed Genesis Medical Center, Aledo, as one of its 2023 Community Stars. Only 39 rural health care facilities nationally received the honor.
According to the announcement on PowerOfRural.org, “The annual recognition program honors remarkable individuals and organizations going above and beyond for rural health. They exemplify the true spirit of collaboration, turning challenges into opportunities, ensuring access to quality care, and fostering a sense of unity and support within our rural communities.”
Ted Rogalski, administrator of the Aledo medical center said he was thrilled by the dual honors.
“Our hospital exemplifies the power of the rural. The overwhelming amount of community collaboration and internal teamwork is key to our success,” Mr. Rogalski said in the release. “Additionally, our size allows us to know our patients and community. Not only does this provide us with a clinical benefit in delivering compassionate, effective care; it also supports our culture of friends and family caring for friends and family.”
Center joins elite group
Genesis Medical Center, Aledo also earned a 2023 Performance Leadership Award for Excellence in Quality. Compiled by the Chartis Center for Rural Health, the Performance Leadership Awards honor top quartile performance – 75th percentile or above – among rural hospitals in three categories. They are: Quality, Outcomes and Patient Perspective.
“It’s a great testament to the dedicated and talented team at Genesis Medical Center, Aledo to be recognized by the Chartis Center,” Mr. Rogalski said. “Health care is increasingly difficult in these post-pandemic years, so to see our hospital receive accolades for performance and quality speaks volumes about the care our colleagues provide.”
The National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH) was established in 1995 to assist State Offices of Rural Health (SORH) in improving access to and the quality of health care for nearly 61 million rural Americans.
Focus: Improving rural care
NOSORH enhances SORHs’ ability to do this by supporting the development of state and community rural health leaders; creating and facilitating state, regional and national partnerships that foster information sharing and spur rural health-related programs/activities; and enhancing access to quality health care services in rural communities.
The Performance Leadership Awards are based on the results of the Chartis Rural Hospital Performance INDEX, the industry’s most comprehensive and objective assessment of rural hospital performance, the news release said. INDEX data is relied upon by rural hospitals, health systems with rural footprints, hospital associations and state offices of rural health nationwide to measure and monitor performance across several areas impacting hospital operations and finance.
“Wherever we go in rural America, we witness firsthand the commitment, determination, and compassion with which rural hospitals serve their communities. Rural health care truly is mission-driven,” said Michael Topchik, national leader, The Chartis Center for Rural Health. “This National Rural Health Day, let us recognize the efforts of this year’s Performance Leadership Award winners and all those driven to deliver high-quality care throughout rural communities.”
