Summit Pacific Medical Center has been named a finalist for the nationwide 2024 Rural Hospital Leadership Award by the American Hospital Association.
This award recognizes rural hospitals with outstanding leadership, innovation, and community commitment.
Summit Pacific serves Grays Harbor County as a critical access hospital with a vision to create the healthiest community in the nation. The hospital has been recognized for its innovative programs addressing chronic disease, economic hardship, and access to care.
Key achievements that led to this recognition:
Low Barrier Behavioral and Primary Care Clinic — Summit Pacific provides walk-in access, medication- assisted treatment, and integrated behavioral health services to underserved patients, ensuring that individuals facing barriers such as transportation, financial constraints, or stigma receive the care they need.
Rural Family Medicine Residency Program — Summit Pacific’s Rural Family Residency Program adds more than 3,000 patient visits per year, increasing access to primary care in the community while training the next generation of rural physicians who are equipped to address the unique challenges of rural medicine.
Food as Medicine (Rx) Program – Summit Pacific’s Food as Medicine initiative helps fight diabetes and poor diet habits through nutrition education, cooking classes and food subscription boxes. Since its launch, participants have seen a 6.2% decrease in hemoglobin A1C levels and a nearly 20% drop in LDL cholesterol. The program also provides ongoing support to help patients make long-term dietary and lifestyle changes.
“This recognition reflects our team’s dedication to meeting the unique health needs of our rural community,” said Josh Martin, CEO of Summit Pacific Medical Center. “We are committed to innovative solutions that make healthcare more accessible and impactful for our patients.”
The American Hospital Association is a national organization representing nearly 5,000 hospitals and healthcare systems. It advocates healthcare improvements and provides education for hospital leaders.
