McKenzie Health Named One of Chartis’ Top 100 Critical Access Hospitals for 2026

February 19, 2026

Released by:  McKenzie Health

McKenzie Health Named One of Chartis’ Top 100 Critical Access Hospitals for 2026

McKenzie Health Recognized Nationally for Excellence in Rural Healthcare Delivery

WATFORD CITY, N.D. — [February 19, 2026] — For the first time, McKenzie Health is proud to announce it has been named one of the Top 100 Critical Access Hospitals in the United States by The Chartis Center for Rural Health for 2026. The annual Top 100 Critical Access Hospitals award is regarded as one of the industry’s most significant designations of performance excellence and reflects McKenzie Health’s commitment to delivering high-quality, patient-centered care to the communities it serves.

The Chartis Rural Hospital Performance INDEX® evaluates and benchmarks rural hospitals across multiple performance dimensions including quality, patient outcomes, financial stability, and community engagement. The chart of the Top 100 hospitals highlights those facilities that have achieved excellence across these key areas, making them leaders in rural healthcare delivery.

“We are honored to be recognized by The Chartis Center for Rural Health as one of the nation’s Top 100 Critical Access Hospitals,” said Pete Edis, CEO at McKenzie Health. “This achievement belongs to our dedicated team of caregivers, support staff, and leaders who work tirelessly every day to provide compassionate, high-quality care to our patients and families. Our mission has always been to ensure access to exceptional healthcare in our region, and this national recognition affirms that commitment.”

The 2026 Top 100 Critical Access Hospitals list includes a diverse group of rural hospitals from across the United States, representing excellence in care delivery and community health impact. Many of the recognized hospitals — like McKenzie Health — serve as essential health care resources in rural regions where access to comprehensive medical services can be limited.

“The delivery of care within rural communities is more complex today than at any point in recent memory. This year’s Top 100 Critical Access Hospitals and Top 100 Rural & Community Hospitals have emerged as true leaders—committed to their mission through a powerful combination of resilience, dedication, and innovation,” said Michael Topchik, Executive Director of The Chartis Center for Rural Health. “We’re delighted to recognize this year’s winners and celebrate their Top 100 status.”
Now in its 16th year, the INDEX is the industry’s most comprehensive and objective assessment of rural hospital performance. Leveraging publicly available data, the INDEX is utilized 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, quality, patient perspective and finance. The full list of this year’s Top 100 Critical Access Hospitals can be found at: https://www.chartis.com/top-performing-rural-hospitals.

For more information about McKenzie Health and services offered, visit McKenzieHealth.com.

About McKenzie Health: McKenzie Health is committed to quality services, continuity of care, assurance of qualified staff, and family involvement for individual patients and clients. Headquartered in Watford City, ND, the organization consists of a 24-bed Critical Access Hospital, Rural Health Clinic, Specialty Clinics, Urgent Care, Good Shepherd Home (long-term care), Horizon Assisted Living, and Connie Wold Wellness Center.

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MEDIA CONTACT
Lynn Welker-Fevold, MMHC, ACHE
307-399-4145
lwelker@mchsnd.org