JCH&L Among 100 Critical Access Hospitals to Know

Jefferson Community Health & Life has been named by Becker’s Hospital Review as one of 100 noteworthy hospitals in its annual “Critical Access Hospitals to Know” list.

JCH&L CEO Holly Wolff said she is pleased to have JCH&L be named as a “Critical Access Hospital to Know” by Becker’s Hospital Review.
“It is gratifying to receive recognition for the quality and compassionate care our staff provide every day and for the important service we provide to our community,” said Holly Wolff, JCH&L CEO.

Three other Nebraska Critical Access Hospitals were recognized: Avera St. Anthony’s Hospital (O’Neill, Neb.); Howard County Medical Center (St. Paul, Neb.); and Pender (Neb.) Community Hospital.

As part of the ranking list, Becker’s Hospital Review states: “Critical access hospitals occupy a singular place in the American healthcare system. With a maximum of 25 inpatient beds and a mandate to provide around-the-clock emergency care, these institutions do far more with far less than almost any other type of healthcare organization. The hospitals featured on this list are actively expanding access to specialty care, reducing the burden of patient travel, and driving meaningful improvements in the health of their communities.”

The Becker’s Hospital Review editorial team accepted nominations and curated the list to highlight the great work of critical access hospitals across the nation.

The full list features individual profiles of all hospitals on the list and can be read at https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/rural-health/rural-lists/100-critical-access-hospitals-to-know-2026/.

Becker’s Healthcare notes the list was developed based on nominations and editorial research. Organizations do not pay and cannot pay for inclusion on this list. This list is not exhaustive, nor is it an endorsement of the organizations mentioned. Organizations are presented in alphabetical order.

JCH&L was also recently recognized as a Top 20 Critical Access Hospital for 2026 for overall performance by the National Rural Health Association as ranked by Chartis Center for Rural Health. JCH&L has been among the Top 100 Critical Access Hospitals in the nation as ranked by Chartis Center for Rural Health for 11 of the last 13 years.