PEIRRE — Avera St. Mary’s hospital has reason to celebrate again. The Pierre hospital along with St. Luke’s in Aberdeen, Queen of Peace in Mitchell, Sacred Heart in Yankton and Avera partner Hospital Lakes Regional in Spirit Lake, Iowa have been named a top 100 Rural and Community hospital by the Chartis Center for Rural Health. Avera Hand County Memorial Hospital joins the list of Top 100 Critical Access hospitals. Hospitals are rated in eight areas for the list including inpatient market share, outpatient market share, quality, outcomes, patient perspective, cost, charge and financial efficiency. Hospitals recognized as a Top 100 facility had one of the highest 100 overall scores among all rural and community and critical access hospitals across the nation. Avera St. Mary’s has made the list for five consecutive years.
