STORY BY JOY PRUDEK

St. Luke’s Wood River has received three awards for exceptional patient experience and other endeavors:

The PRESS GANEY HUMAN EXPERIENCE GUARDIAN OF EXCELLENCE AWARD places St. Luke’s Wood River in the top 5 percent of health care providers in delivering exceptional patient experience over the past year.

“Receiving the Press Ganey HX Guardian of Excellence Award affirms that the efforts and care our team exhibits every day truly make a difference in our patients' care and experience,” said Almita Nunnelee, chief operating officer/chief nursing officer of St. Luke’s Wood River. “Our focus on teamwork, commitment to safety, and patient-centered care is at the heart of everything we do. We are grateful for this recognition and remain dedicated to serving our community with excellence.”

Press Ganey collaborates with over 41,000 health care facilities to reduce patient suffering and enhance caregiver resilience, aiming to improve the overall safety, quality and experience of care.

“St. Luke’s Wood River is redefining what it means to provide compassionate care,” said Patrick T. Ryan, CEO and chairman at Press Ganey. “Their empathetic approach to patients and their unwavering support for staff fosters genuine human connections and a positive, nurturing environment. We're privileged to be a part of their journey and witness their remarkable achievements.”

The CHARTIS TOP 100 CRITICAL ACCESS HOSPITALS recognition 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 Top 100 Critical Access Hospitals award program elevates the very best performers and helps create a roadmap for those seeking to improve financial and operational performance while continuing to care for the communities they serve,” said Michael Topchik, executive director, the Chartis Center for Rural Health.

“As a small, rural hospital, we pride ourselves on offering the advanced capabilities typically found in larger, metropolitan hospitals, while maintaining the close-knit, personal touch that defines our community,” Nunnelee said. “Our team’s dedication to providing high-quality care in a warm, supportive environment ensures that our patients receive the best of both worlds.”

The INDEX is the industry’s most comprehensive and objective assessment of rural hospital performance, utilizing publicly available data to measure and monitor performance across various areas impacting hospital operations and finance.

The IDAHO AWARD FOR LEADERSHIP IN ENERGY EFFICIENCY honors the hospital for its efforts in sustainability and responsible energy use. The hospital made a meaningful impact on its community through staff education, preventative maintenance, unoccupied shutdown procedures and air handling unit economizing.

“These initiatives are a part of our commitment to sustainability and responsible energy use,” Nunnelee said. “We will continue to explore how we can contribute to a healthier environment for our community.