SANTA YNEZ VALLEY — Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital (SYVCH) has been recognized as a 2026 Top 20 Critical Access Hospital for Best Practice in Patient Satisfaction by the National Rural Health Association (NRHA).
The national designation recognizes SYVCH among the highest-performing critical access hospitals in the country for patient satisfaction. The recognition is based on data from the Chartis Rural Hospital Performance INDEX™, which evaluates rural hospitals across key areas of performance.
“This recognition reflects the dedication of our entire team and the compassionate, personalized care they provide every day,” said Katie Gorndt, Vice President of Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital. “We are proud to serve the Santa Ynez Valley and grateful for the trust our patients and families place in us.”
For the Best Practice in Patient Satisfaction designation, critical access hospitals are evaluated using Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) measures across 10 patient experience domains. Hospital performance is aggregated and ranked against rural hospitals nationwide, with the 20 highest-ranking hospitals recognized by NRHA.
The National Rural Health Association selects its Top 20 Critical Access Hospital honorees from the Top 100 Critical Access Hospitals identified by The Chartis Center for Rural Health. In addition to the Top 20 overall hospitals, NRHA recognizes 20 hospitals for Best Practice in Patient Satisfaction and 20 for Best Practice in Quality.
Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital has a longstanding commitment to providing high-quality, compassionate care close to home for residents of the Santa Ynez Valley and surrounding communities.
To learn more about Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital, visit cottagehealth.org/syvch.
About Cottage Health | CottageHealth.org
Cottage Health is a not-for-profit health system providing advanced medical care on California’s Central Coast. In the past year, its hospitals in Goleta, Santa Barbara and Santa Ynez Valley cared for 20,833 inpatient admissions, 93,281 emergency department visits and 1,971 newborn deliveries. With more than 700 physicians, including specialists typically found only at university medical centers, Cottage offers expert, comprehensive care. As a teaching institution, it trains physicians through residency programs in medical, surgical, pediatric and radiology specialties. Cottage Health is home to the Central Coast’s only Level I adult and Level II pediatric trauma center and an advanced comprehensive stroke center. Its specialty services include Cottage Children’s Medical Center, Cottage Rehabilitation Hospital, the Santa Barbara Neuroscience Institute, Cottage Heart & Vascular Center and Cottage Center for Orthopedics. Beyond its hospitals, Cottage expands care through primary and specialty clinics, urgent care centers and 24/7 provider access via Cottage Virtual Care.