Illini Community Hospital recognized for national ranking

PITTSFIELD, Ill. – The Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network recently recognized Illini Community Hospital for its ongoing commitment to exceptional quality of care, during a ceremony at the I-Hotel and Conference Center in Champaign. 

Illini Community Hospital was recognized for being in the top 10 percent of all critical access hospitals in the country for exceptional care transitions for all emergency department transfer patients. 

As part of the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Program, Illini Community Hospital and other critical access hospitals were asked to voluntarily participate in four defined domains of quality outcomes — patient safety/inpatient, patient engagement, care transitions and outpatient measures.

“Often, in rural hospitals, having a devoted staff member to abstract and submit this data can be both time-consuming and burdensome,” said Laura Fischer, ICAHN Flex Grant Project Manager, in a press release. “This hospital realizes how important quality of care and an engaged staff is for its patients…From its top leadership on throughout the facility, each strives for continued quality on a daily basis, and that is what we are celebrating today.”

“We are very proud of our team for achieving this level of excellence in health quality,” said Kathleen Hull, president/CEO of Illini Community Hospital, in a press release. “This is truly a team effort that recognizes our dedication to delivering a healthcare experience of which our patients and staff can be proud.”

The Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Program began in 2011 as a way for critical access hospitals to demonstrate the quality of care they provide. This program has continued to evolve, adding new measures and removing outdated ones. The Federal Office of Rural Health Policy deemed it necessary in 2016 for CAHs to participate in at least one measure of one domain to receive Flex funding opportunities. Each year, FORHP has increased the level at which the hospital must participate to remain Flex fund eligible.

The Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network, located in Princeton, Ill., is a network of 57 small rural Illinois hospitals dedicated to strengthening the operations of its member hospitals through collaboration.