Punxsy celebrates National Hospital Week
PUNXSUTAWNEY — The staff and volunteers came together to celebrate that Punxsutawney Area Hospital was nationally ranked as a Top 20 Rural and Community Hospital named by National Rural Health Association and Chartis Center for Rural Health in 2022 on Monday.
Dan Blough, CEO, said it is thrilling, following two years of a crisis, to see a few people in the board room again, though they were still masking as they kicked off National Hospital Week.
“This is a real exciting time for us, particularly this year ... Ben Hughes is en route to Arizona to pick up the awards, one of the Top 20 Rural Community Hospitals in the nation,” Blough said. “It’s a fitting tribute to all of you that Ben is representing you out of state at the conference this week, sponsored by the National Rural Health Association, as one of the top 20 hospitals in the United States, so congratulations to all of you as we celebrate National Hospital Week.”
Blough thanked everyone for everything they’ve done for the hospital and the community.
Dr. Clark Simpson, M.D., said that sometimes people forget to focus on why you became a great hospital.
“We became a great hospital because of each every person,” Simpson said. “Whether it’s dietary or nursing administration, ICU, Med Surge, TCU, and maintenance, it takes a great team; this is a very large system that we have to make flow.”
“I think the community realizes that the hospital is the heart of the community,” Simpson said. “You’re so lucky to have a full-service community hospital that supports the
residents.”
Simpson said he heard something great from Blough a few years ago.
“It was an incidental comment that really made me think. He said his mission, his life, has been about this hospital,” Simpson said. “I don’t think the community realizes how lucky they’ve been to have Mr. Dan Blough do this for 43 years.”
Simpson said as he moves toward retirement, “that will be the staff that we carry, to continue to keep this hospital in this community and keep over 400 people employed.”
“It’s the community, it’s the employees, it’s everybody, it’s everything, so we’re very lucky as we move into National Hospital Week,” Simpson said
Jefferson commissioners Herb Bullers and Scott North also spoke about the hospital and how it is one of the crown jewels of Jefferson County.
Punxsy Mayor Richard Alexander issued a proclamation recognizing the week within the borough.