Lonesome Pine Hospital, Smyth County Community Hospital recognized among top community hospitals in the nation; Hawkins County Memorial Hospital, Hancock County Hospital earn performance awards

Two Southwest Virginia hospitals, Smyth County Community Hospital and Lonesome Pine Hospital, were selected as two of the best performing rural and community hospitals in the country by the Chartis Center for Rural Health for 2024. Chartis also recognized Hawkins County Memorial Hospital and Hancock County Hospital with performance awards in 2024.

The annual list highlights the top 100 hospitals across the United States, with Chartis evaluating hospitals based on various factors such as quality, outcomes, patient perspective, cost and finances. Only four hospitals in Virginia made the ranking for 2024.

“This accolade underscores Ballad Health's commitment to providing exceptional healthcare services in rural communities,” said Eric Deaton, Ballad Health’s chief operating officer. “Being recognized with some of the best rural and community hospitals in the nation is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our teams at Smyth County Community Hospital, Lonesome Pine Hospital, Hawkins County Memorial Hospital and Hancock County Hospital. This recognition reaffirms our mission to deliver high-quality care and improve the health and well-being of the communities we serve."

Hawkins County Memorial Hospital and Hancock County Hospital both earned a Performance Leadership Award in quality for top-quartile performance (75th percentile or above), while Hawkins also received recognition in the patient perspective category.

"Hawkins County Memorial Hospital and Hancock County Hospital's recognition from Chartis reflects the dedication and compassion our team brings to patient care every single day,” said Hunter Hamilton, administrator for Hawkins County Memorial Hospital and Hancock County Hospital.

“This honor underscores our commitment to delivering exceptional quality and ensuring every patient feels seen, heard and valued. I am incredibly proud of our team's efforts to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those we serve."

Chartis’ annual award program recognizes outstanding performance among the nation’s rural hospitals based on the results of the Chartis Rural Hospital Performance INDEX.® Featuring a methodology utilizing publicly available data, the INDEX is leveraged 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 and finance. The INDEX ranks rural hospital performance across eight different categories, such as quality, outcomes, patient perspective and cost.

“This recognition validates our ongoing efforts to provide exceptional healthcare services to the residents of Smyth County and beyond,” said Dale Clark, chief executive officer and vice president at Smyth County Community Hospital. “We are honored to be acknowledged among the top hospitals in the nation and remain committed to delivering compassionate care to our patients."

In addition to the top 100 accolades, Lonesome Pine Hospital received recognition from Quantros in its 2023 and 2024 CareChex® awards for ranking in the top 10% of hospitals nationally for medical excellence in heart attack and sepsis treatment. Lonesome Pine Hospital was also recognized by Quantros in its 2024 awards for medical excellence in major bowel procedures.

“Bringing the right healthcare services to our communities, and doing them well, has brought Lonesome Pine to new heights,” said Shannon Showalter, chief executive officer for Ballad Health operations in Wise, Lee and Dickenson counties in Virginia. “Our team members and physicians have gone above and beyond,

Smyth County Community was also recognized by Quantros for ranking in the top 10% of hospitals in the nation for medical excellence in major bowel procedures and sepsis care. In 2023, U.S. News also recognized Smyth County Community Hospital as "high performing" in care for hip fracture patients, with a special notation for providing an excellent patient experience.