Riverwood Healthcare Center named a National Rural Health Association Top 20 Critical Access Hospital

AITKIN, MN  |

by Brielle Bredsten | Posted: Wednesday, May 17, 2017 5:00 am

Riverwood Healthcare staff gathered to celebrate National Healthcare Week on May 8 with the announcement of being ranked within the Top 20 Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) of 1,300 in the nation.

Riverwood was honored for this ranking by the National Rural Health Association (NRHA), a nonprofit organization working to improve the health and wellbeing of rural Americans.

Using a comprehensive Hospital Strength Index compiled by iVantage Health Analytics, NRHA selected the top 20 hospitals for nationwide recognition, from the list of Top 100 Critical Access Hospitals announced earlier this year. The index is a system used to evaluate rural and critical access hospitals based on various market, value­based and financial measures. More information about the study can be found at www.iVantageINDEX.com.

Riverwood earned top 20 status due to its success in overall performance based on a composite rating of: quality, outcomes, patient perspectives, inpatient market share, outpatient market share, costs, charges and financial stability.

“I am extremely proud of our physicians, advanced practice providers and every single member of our staff, all of whom contribute to an exceptional culture at Riverwood and help to ensure we consistently provide the highest quality care possible,” said Chad Cooper, Riverwood’s chief executive officer. “Most importantly, this national recognition is another indication that our community can count on us to deliver the services they need, now and into the future.”

Cooper noted Riverwood’s exceptionally strong patient experience scores, and strong and continued focus on health and wellness. He stated, “We have an exceptionally skilled, dedicated and caring staff here at Riverwood, and it has always been and will always be, the caliber of our people that is the difference maker.” NRHA will hold an award ceremony during the CAH Conference in September in Kansas City, Mo. to honor the Top 20 CAHs in the country. Riverwood celebrated the news with its staff during National Healthcare Week, May 8­12, at all three of its locations in Aitkin, Garrison and McGregor with a free BBQ lunch for its staff members, who were awarded “Growing Together” t­shirts as part of their recognition.

With upcoming plans to break ground mid­July for a clinic expansion project in Aitkin, Riverwood will offer additional services, including kidney care and a kidney dialysis unit to be operated by the CentraCare Kidney Program, to meet the needs in the rural communities it serves. The Aitkin facility’s fourth overall expansion has a projected completion date of early 2019, and will address growing needs of the specialty clinic, a renovation of the primary care clinic to support team­based care, and expansion and relocation of the rehabilitation department.

Riverwood Healthcare Center is an integrated clinic and hospital facility that operates a 25­bed hospital in Aitkin and three primary care clinics in Aitkin, Garrison and McGregor. The hospital features single occupancy patient rooms and 24­hour emergency care with intensive/coronary care, urgent care, inpatient and outpatient surgery, rehabilitation services, a wide range of specialty care and more. Designations for the hospital include Level III Trauma Center; Comprehensive Advanced Life Support Hospital; Level I Heart Attack Program; and Accredited Cancer Program.