Northwestern Medicine Valley West Hospital celebrates Rural Health Day

Therapy dogs Holly and O’Mally helped the staff at Northwestern Medicine Valley West Hospital in Sandwich recently celebrate National Rural Health Day.

O’Mally’s owner, Jan Sofranko, and Holly’s owner, William H. Staub III, escorted the dogs around the hospital to celebrate the better care the hospital provides rural communities and Valley West Hospital’s new ranking in the Vizient Critical Access Hospital Cohort. The hospital was ranked sixth out of 134 hospitals for high performance in quality and safety across a broad spectrum of patient care.

National Rural Health Day is an opportunity to “Celebrate the Power of Rural” by honoring the selfless, community-minded and determined spirit that prevails in rural America. National Rural Health Day also showcases the efforts of rural health care providers, organizations and cooperatives dedicated to addressing social determinants of health and the unique health care challenges that rural residents face today and in the future.