Avera Rural Hospitals Named to 2026 Top 100 Lists

Several Avera hospitals were named to 2026 Top 100 lists for Critical Access Hospitals and Rural & Community Hospitals by the Chartis Center for Rural Health. The Top 100 awards program celebrates outstanding performance annually among the nation's rural hospitals based on the results of the Chartis Rural Hospital Performance INDEX®.

Named Among Top 100 Rural & Community Hospitals:

• Avera Sacred Heart Hospital, Yankton, SD
• Avera St. Luke's Hospital, Aberdeen, SD
• Lakes Regional Healthcare (an Avera partner), Spirit Lake, IA

Named among Top 100 Critical Access Hospitals:

• Avera Hand County Memorial Hospital, Miller, SD
• Avera St. Anthony's Hospital, O'Neill, NE
• Pipestone County Medical Center (an Avera partner), Pipestone, MN
• Sioux Center Health (an Avera partner), Sioux Center, IA

Avera Sacred Heart and Avera St. Luke's hospitals have been listed among the Top 100 11 times and are among only 11 Rural & Community Hospitals nationwide to have this distinction. Avera Hand County and Pipestone County Medical Center have been listed 11 times to the national Critical Access Hospitals list.

"Avera's commitment to rural health care is evident by the quality of care provided at Avera hospitals and Avera partner facilities. Providing high quality care close to home is grounded in our mission, going back to the Sisters who founded early hospitals in Dakota Territory," said Jim Dover, FACHE, Avera President and CEO. "Avera is proud to provide leading-edge care, research and top decile quality to families across our five-state region, in urban and rural areas alike."

"Each year, Avera continues to have numerous facilities that earn the Top 100 distinctions. This consistency is a testament to our focus on delivering high quality care, ensuring access and keeping health care affordable. Having high quality care locally also strengthens communities and improves quality of life," Dover said.

Now in its 16^th year, the INDEX is the industry's most comprehensive and objective assessment of rural hospital performance. Leveraging publicly available data, the INDEX is utilized nationwide by rural hospitals, health systems with rural affiliates, hospital associations, and state offices of rural health to measure and monitor performance across a variety of areas impacting hospital operations, quality, patient perspective and finance.

"The delivery of care within rural communities is perhaps more complex today than at any point in recent memory. This year's Top 100 Critical Access and Rural & Community Hospitals have emerged as true leaders - committed to their mission through a powerful combination of resilience, dedication and innovation," said Michael Topchik, Executive Director of the Chartis Center for Rural Health. "We're delighted to recognize this year's winners and celebrate their Top 100 status."