Boone County Health Center Earns Dual National Distinctions

By: Aprill Murphy

Albion, NE (April 23, 2025) – Boone County Health Center (BCHC) has once again proven that excellence isn’t a coincidence—it’s a commitment. For 2025, BCHC has earned dual national honors: named one of the Top 100 Critical Access Hospitals in the United States by The Chartis Center for Rural Health and also recognized among the Top 20 Critical Access Hospitals by the National Rural Health Association (NRHA).

This year marks the ninth time BCHC has been included in the Top 100, and the fifth year it has ranked among the Top 20—an elite designation reserved for the very best in rural healthcare. These honors place BCHC among the top-performing hospitals out of 1,353 Critical Access Hospitals across the nation.

“Some hospitals hit their stride for a season—we’re building a legacy,” said Caleb Poore, President and CEO of Boone County Health Center. “Earning Top 100 honors nine times shows long-term consistency. Reaching the Top 20 for five years running speaks to a relentless pursuit of excellence. That’s what our team does every day—deliver world-class care right here in rural Nebraska.”

The Chartis Center for Rural Health determines its Top 100 through the Rural Hospital Performance INDEX®, the industry’s most comprehensive assessment of rural hospital performance. This evaluation draws from publicly available data and measures critical benchmarks such as patient outcomes, quality, market share, financial stability, and cost.

From that Top 100 list, the NRHA identifies the Top 20 based on overall performance across eight key areas: inpatient and outpatient market share, quality, outcomes, patient perspective, cost, charge, and finance. An awards ceremony will be held during NRHA’s Critical Access Hospital Conference in September in Kansas City, Mo.

These accolades are a testament to Boone County Health Center’s long-standing investment in innovation, patient-centered care, and its unwavering mission to provide high-quality, accessible healthcare to rural Nebraskans. With nearly a decade of national recognition and five years in the highest echelon of care, BCHC continues to stand as a model of what rural healthcare can—and should—be.