Mt. Ascutney Hospital and Health Center CEO and Chief Medical Officer Joseph L. Perras, MD, has been appointed to the American Hospital Association (AHA) Committee on Rural Health Services as chair-elect.
The Committee on Rural Health Services plays a central role in advising the AHA on advocacy positions, public policy issues and rural member service strategies.
“I am honored to be appointed as chair-elect of this critical AHA committee,” said Perras. “The committee is crucial to making sure that the unique needs of hospitals and providers in rural America are prioritized at the national level.”
Dr. Perras will serve one year as chair-elect (as of January 1, 2022), one year as chair and one year as immediate past-chair.
About Mt. Ascutney Hospital and Health Center
Founded in 1933, Mt. Ascutney Hospital and Health Center (MAHHC) is a not-for-profit community hospital network in Vermont, including the critical access-designated Mt. Ascutney Hospital and Historic Homes of Runnemede, a senior residential care campus, in Windsor, as well as the Ottauquechee Health Center in Woodstock. A member of the Dartmouth Health system, MAHHC provides primary care and a comprehensive suite of specialty services, along with 25 inpatient beds, a therapeutic pool and an acclaimed, fully modernized 10-bed Acute Rehabilitation Center. Mt. Ascutney Hospital and Health Center is dedicated to improving the lives of those it serves and is at the hub of a wide network of community resources that have partnered to cover gaps in services and improve overall population health. One of the largest employers in the area, MAHHC acknowledges its employees as its greatest asset and has been recognized by the Governor's Office with an Excellence in Worksite Wellness award.
Mt. Ascutney Hospital and Health Center is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), is a recent recipient of Best Practice recognition by the National Rural Health Association (NRHA) for health care quality, and is recognized by the American Hospital Association (AHA) as one of the "Most Wired" hospitals for integration of technology to boost clinical performance. The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) has awarded MAHHC with Level 3 status, the highest level of medical home designation.