MaineHealth Stephens Hospital Recognized as a Top 100 Critical Access Hospital

Norway, Maine – MaineHealth Stephens Hospital has been named among the 2025 Top 100 Critical Access Hospitals by The Chartis Center for Rural Health. Chartis’ annual Top 100 award program honors

outstanding performance among the nation’s rural hospitals based on the results of the Chartis Rural Hospital Performance INDEX®.

“At Stephens, we are committed to providing exceptional care to our community,” said Jeff Noblin, President of MaineHealth Stephens Hospital. “This recognition reflects the dedication and hard work of our team, and we remain focused on delivering high-quality health care close to home.”

Paul Bickford, Chairman of MaineHealth Stephens’ Board of Directors and Principal of Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School stated, “Our local Hospital Board is proud of this accomplishment and congratulates all of our care team members for this special recognition. We are fortunate to have a local hospital that delivers great patient care, is financially sound, and is focused on growth opportunities in the future.”

“The Top 100 Critical Access Hospitals award program elevates the very best performers and helps create a roadmap for those seeking to improve financial and operational performance while continuing to care for the communities they serve,” said Michael Topchik, Executive Director, The Chartis Center for Rural Health. “This is our 15th year recognizing the Top 100 Critical Access Hospitals and we’re thrilled to be able to celebrate this milestone with this year’s winners.”

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 and finance.