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Clagett achieves new state designation

Staff Report

Clagett Memorial Hospital has earned state designation as a critical access hospital as of Jan. 1.

That means the facility meets quality, location and size standards and will receive higher reimbursement rates for Medicare charges.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, a critical access hospital promotes rural health planning and improves access to hospital and health services for rural residents, a higher standard of care and access to care.



“We worked very hard to achieve this designation,” said Rusty Kane-Stevens, director of quality management for Grand River Hospital District. “It took many months of hard work and dedication by our entire staff to ensure that everything was in place before our survey. The staff deserves a huge pat on the back for a job well done.”

“We passed the general hospital survey with no deficiencies. We also underwent a life safety survey as part of the process.



“Several issues were found, but most concerned the fact that the building is outdated for a present health care facility. We were able to obtain a waiver of correction on all the large issues because of the move into the new medical center being just a few months away,” Stevens added.

The new status requires the hospital to fill no more than 25 beds, and maintain an average stay of four days for inpatients.

Currently, Clagett Memorial Hospital operates 12 inpatient beds. When the new Grand River Medical Center opens this spring, it will have 14 inpatient beds, and the critical access hospital status will apply there.


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