Barnes-Kasson Hospital leads in emergency department efficiency

11/5/2025

By Peggy M. Sheffler

SUSQUEHANNA — In September, Kasson-Hospital, an affiliate of Wayne Memorial Health
System, Inc., achieved national recognition for its Emergency Department’s performance by
earning one of the top scores in the country on the Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement
Project (MBQIP). This metric is the median time from ED arrival to discharge.
The facility recorded an exceptional median time of just 83 minutes, outperforming not only other hospitals across Pennsylvania, but also facilities nationwide. Barnes-Kasson’s success
contributes to Pennsylvania’s strong statewide performance, as the state’s Critical Access
Hospitals have ranked number one in the nation in the MBQIP program for two consecutive
Years.
“Barnes-Kasson Hospital’s 83-minute throughput time is truly remarkable,” said Sara Adornato, CEO of Barnes-Kasson. “Their commitment to efficiency and patient-centered care stands out as a model for rural hospitals everywhere.”
In December 2024, Barnes-Kasson earned the 2024 Performance Leadership Award for excellence in quality from The Chartis Center for Rural Health.
“The Performance Leadership Awards capture the commitment, diligence, and innovation with which America’s rural hospitals approach the delivery of care within their communities,” stated Troy Brown of The Chartis Center for Rural Health. The awards recognize top performance (i.e.,75th percentile or higher) among rural hospitals in quality, outcomes, and/or patient perspective. Benchmarks are used in rural health to measure performance across multiple areas that impact operations and finance.
Barnes-Kasson provides comprehensive healthcare services to residents of Susquehanna
County and surrounding areas. As a Critical Access Hospital, it is unwavering in its commitment
to enhancing access to care, improving patient outcomes, and strengthening the health of the
rural communities it serves, ensuring healthcare is accessible to all.
In July of 2024, Barnes-Kasson Hospital became an affiliate of Wayne Memorial Health System,
Inc., an arrangement that benefits both organizations through “shared services and space.” In
2024, Wayne Memorial Physician Specialty Practice added Orthopedics and Urology services at
Barnes-Kasson. They added two more—Cardiology and Pulmonary, further expanding their
services.
Some of the current challenges and obstacles facing rural healthcare organizations often
include workforce shortages, lower patient volumes, reimbursement rates, an aging patient
population, limited transportation infrastructure, poor broadband connectivity, aging structures, and more. These factors can lead to higher patient health risks, difficulties in recruiting and retaining staff, budget issues, and a reduction in the quality and availability of care.
The hospital has served the residents of Susquehanna County, northern Wayne County, and southern Broome County since 1904. To better serve the rural area, Barnes-Kasson established
a Dental Unit and four well-staffed family health clinic locations: 2872 Turnpike Street in
Susquehanna, 177 Erie Boulevard in Susquehanna, 433 Church Street in New Milford, and
25059 State Route 11 in Hallstead.