COLFAX, WA – The Washington State Hospital Association recently honored 20 rural hospitals for their outstanding quality improvement efforts with the 2025 Critical Access Hospital Achievement of Excellence distinction.

The achievement recognizes the important work done by critical access hospitals, which are facilities with 25 or fewer beds that are located more than 35 miles from another hospital and provide 24/7 emergency care services.

Among the hospitals named was the Whitman Hospital & Medical Clinics in Colfax, which received a silver award for its scores across 14 factors, including workplace safety, diagnostic accuracy, and efforts to reduce health disparities.