Phelps Memorial Recognized as One of the Nation’s Top 20 Critical Access Hospitals

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 1, 2025

Phelps Memorial Recognized as One of the Nation’s Top 20 Critical Access  Hospitals 

Phelps Memorial Health Center in Holdrege has been honored as one of the Top  20 Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) in the United States, a distinction that reflects  the hospital’s unwavering commitment to exceptional quality, compassionate  care, community service, and rural health excellence. 

This prestigious recognition, awarded by the National Rural Health Association  and scored by the Chartis Center for Rural Health, is based on overall performance  in eight critical areas: inpatient market share, outpatient market share, quality,  outcomes, patient perspective, cost, charge, and finance. The Top 20 were  selected from the Chartis 2025 Top 100 CAH list, which was released earlier this  year. 

“This recognition is a reflection of the dedication and compassion our team brings  to every patient interaction,” said Mark Harrel, CEO of Phelps Memorial. “It affirms  that our mission to always provide exceptional quality and compassionate care to  our community is not only felt locally—but is also seen at a national level. Our  team doesn’t do this work for accolades, but for the families who count on us  every day.” 

The Top 20 CAHs are recognized in two key categories: 
 

• Quality Index – evaluating hospitals on performance across rural-relevant  clinical care measures.
• Patient Perspective Index – assessing patient experience across all 10  domains of the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS).

There are approximately 1,300 CAHs in the United States, putting Phelps Memorial  in the top 1.5 percent of all critical access hospitals in the entire country. Phelps  Memorial’s performance in these areas illustrates the organization’s commitment to be the best place for patients to receive care, providers to practice, and  teammates to work. 

Kyle Anderson, President of the Phelps Memorial Board of Directors, shared, “This  recognition affirms what we’ve long known—Phelps Memorial sets a high  standard for excellence in rural healthcare. On behalf of the Board, I want to  express our deep appreciation and pride in Team Phelps for their unwavering  dedication to our mission and for making a meaningful impact on the health and  wellbeing of the communities we serve.” 
 

CARE YOU DESERVE. EXPERTS YOU TRUST. 
1215 Tibbals Street // Holdrege, NE 68949-1255 // 308.995.2211 www.PhelpsMemorial.com