Glendive Medical Center Earns Statewide Quality Improvement Award

Recognition highlights GMC’s commitment to patient safety, quality care, and collaboration in rural healthcare

Glendive Medical Center (GMC) has earned a 2025–2026 Quality Improvement Award from the Montana Rural Healthcare Performance Improvement Network (PIN), recognizing the hospital’s commitment to improving patient care, meeting quality reporting requirements, and collaborating with rural healthcare providers across Montana.

The award recognizes GMC’s performance improvement efforts related to Montana PIN or Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Project (MBQIP) data measures, completion of required data reporting and active engagement and knowledge-sharing with Montana critical access hospitals.

As a rural critical access hospital, GMC continually works to strengthen the quality, safety, and effectiveness of the care it provides to patients throughout Glendive and the surrounding region. Participation in PIN allows GMC to evaluate its performance, identify opportunities for improvement and learn alongside other rural hospitals working toward similar goals.

The Montana Rural Healthcare Performance Improvement Network is a voluntary membership of forty-nine critical access hospitals throughout the state. Through shared data, performance benchmarking and collaboration, member hospitals work to improve patient care while addressing the unique challenges of delivering healthcare in rural communities.

During the 2025–2026 Flex Grant Year, PIN members focused on quality improvement initiatives that included strengthening local wound care programs, reducing EKG wait times and exploring innovative approaches to engaging staff and families. The award recognizes hospitals that demonstrate performance improvement, fulfill required data reporting, and contribute to quality improvement efforts through engagement and collaboration with their peers.

GMC’s recognition reflects the collective efforts of its healthcare team and its ongoing commitment to delivering quality care close to home.

“Quality improvement is an ongoing commitment that involves our entire team. We continually look for ways to strengthen patient safety, improve care, and ensure our community has access to the healthcare services it needs,” said Julie Sanders, Director of Marketing & Public Relations at Glendive Medical Center.

The award was presented during the Montana Healthcare Association Healthcare Conference in Billings on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, recognizing GMC alongside other rural hospitals working to advance healthcare quality throughout the state.

The Montana Rural Healthcare Performance Improvement Network is supported by the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program, which promotes quality improvement, financial stability, and stronger healthcare systems in rural communities.

This recognition reinforces Glendive Medical Center’s commitment to its mission of caring, healing, and a healthier community and to continually improving the care it provides to eastern Montana.

Names Left to Right: MJ Marx, Director of Quality; Christa Caulkins, CMA; Dr. John Hunter; Dr. Chrystal Potter; Amy Buxbaum, RN; Chelsea Zeimer, CMA

Not Pictured: Dr. Aaron Maus; Tyler Glossup, CMA; Dr. Nena Panasuk; Emily Fisher, CMA; Audrey Kerr, PA-C