NANTUCKET, MA – Nantucket Cottage Hospital has once again been recognized as a ‘Top 100 Rural & Community Hospital’, according to a list published Thursday by The Chartis Center for Rural Health. This is the third consecutive year the hospital has been featured on the list, which recognizes outstanding performance among the nation’s rural hospitals based on the results of the Chartis Rural Hospital Performance INDEX.

“I am so grateful to the commitment and dedication of our outstanding team here at Nantucket Cottage Hospital, who have enabled us to be recognized for the third year in a row as a one of America’s top 100 rural hospitals – and the only one in Massachusetts I might add,” said Amy Lee, president and chief operating officer.

Now in its 14th year, the INDEX bills itself as “the industry’s most comprehensive and objective assessment of rural hospital performance”. 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.

“During an era of profound uncertainty for rural healthcare, the Top 100 rural hospitals continue to provide a unique lens through which we can identify innovation and inspiration for how to deliver high quality care to increasingly vulnerable populations,” said Michael Topchik, national leader of The Chartis Center for Rural Health. “We’re delighted to be able to recognize all this year’s Top 100 but especially the more than 40 first-time recipients across both categories. It’s wonderful to see so many new facilities join the ranks of our Top 100 alumni.”

“In a time when more than 400 rural or community hospitals are at risk, I’m proud to say that our hospital is not only surviving, we are thriving,” Lee added.