Providence St. Mary Medical Center has received the Washington State Hospital Association’s highest award for rural hospital quality excellence.
St. Mary received the Rural Hospital Achievement of Quality Excellence from the Washington State Hospital Association (WSHA) at the Rural Hospital Leadership Conference in Chelan June 28, 2026. St. Mary earned the gold award distinction, which is the achievement’s highest designation.
Quality measures considered this year included fall prevention, sepsis (the body’s life-threatening overreaction to infection), and opioid harm prevention.
"This recognition reflects the dedication, teamwork, and commitment of our teams who work every day to deliver safe, high-quality care to our community," said Providence St. Mary Chief Nursing Officer Louise Dyjur. "Quality is not achieved through a single initiative—it is the result of countless actions, decisions, and acts of collaboration that occur every day."
The Rural Hospital Achievement of Quality Excellence is awarded to hospitals that demonstrate “remarkable dedication to health care quality,” according to WSHA.
"I am deeply grateful to every caregiver, physician, advanced practice practitioner, and leader whose hard work, focus on excellence, and commitment to continuous improvement made this achievement possible," Dyjur said. "This award is a testament to the exceptional people who serve our patients with compassion and excellence each day."
To obtain the recognition, hospitals participate in data submission through the Washington State Healthcare Authority’s Medicaid Quality Incentive Program, which is managed by WSHA.
“We are incredibly proud of our Rural Hospital Achievement of Quality Excellence recipients,” WSHA Senior Vice President of Clinical Excellence Darcy Jaffe said. “The Association and our hospital members take great pride in providing patients with outstanding care, as quality is the cornerstone of all health care. Everyone, no matter where they live in the state, should be able to access quality health care, and our members help make that possible.”
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