Saint Joseph Berea Recognized for Excellence in Rural Healthcare - Archived

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Katie Heckman, Manager, Community Relations
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Saint Joseph Berea Recognized for Excellence in Rural Healthcare

Berea, Ky. (November 18, 2015) –Saint Joseph Berea, part of KentuckyOne Health, has been recognized for its accomplishments in rural healthcare.
 
The National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH) and iVantage Health Analytics, a private research firm that compiles a hospital strength index to recognize excellence, has named Saint Joseph Berea one of 15 rural hospitals in Kentucky recognized for excellence in quality, and one of 12 rural hospitals recognized for excellence in patient satisfaction.

The rankings have been designated by the Hospital Strength Index™, the first rating system in the country to include all rural providers.

“It means a lot for us to be recognized for excellence in rural healthcare on a national scale,” said Eric Gilliam, president, Saint Joseph Berea. “We constantly strive to make our patients happy and healthy so it’s rewarding to get feedback like this that shows our efforts are paying off.”

Saint Joseph Berea’s recognition was announced in advance of National Rural Health Day on November 19, 2015. NOSORH created National Rural Health Day as a way to showcase rural America and increase awareness of rural health-related issues. Approximately 62 million people – nearly one in five Americans – live in rural and frontier communities throughout the United States.

“These small towns, farming communities and frontier areas are wonderful places to live and work; they are places where neighbors know each other and work together,” said NOSORH Director Teryl Eisinger. “The hospitals and providers serving these rural communities not only provide quality patient care, but they also help keep good jobs in rural America.”

Rural communities also often face unique healthcare needs. “Today more than ever, rural communities must tackle accessibility issues, a lack of healthcare providers, the needs of an aging population suffering from a greater number of chronic conditions, and larger percentages of un- and underinsured citizens,” Eisinger said.

State Offices of Rural Health program plays a key role in addressing those needs. All 50 states maintain a State Office of Rural Health, each of which shares a similar mission: to foster relationships, disseminate information and provide technical assistance that improves access to, and the quality of, health care for its rural citizens. In the past year alone, State Offices of Rural Health collectively provided technical assistance to more than 28,000 rural communities.

Additional information about National Rural Health Day can be found on the Web at www.celebratepowerofrural.org.

About KentuckyOne Health
KentuckyOne Health, the largest and most comprehensive health system in the Commonwealth, has more than 200 locations including, hospitals, physician groups, clinics, primary care centers, specialty institutes and home health agencies in Kentucky and southern Indiana. KentuckyOne Health is dedicated to bringing wellness, healing and hope to all, including the underserved.  The system is made up of the former Jewish Hospital & St. Mary’s HealthCare and Saint Joseph Health System, along with the University of Louisville Hospital and James Graham Brown Cancer Center. KentuckyOne Health is proud of and strengthened by its Catholic, Jewish and academic heritages.