Penn Highlands Healthcare Hospitals Recognized Among The Nation’s Cleanest
Penn Highlands Brookville, Penn Highlands Elk and Penn Highlands Huntingdon each earn five-star cleanliness ratings in Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services survey.
Three Penn Highlands Healthcare hospitals have been recognized among the nation’s cleanest by Becker’s Hospital Review after earning five-star cleanliness ratings from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Penn Highlands Brookville, Penn Highlands Elk and Penn Highlands Huntingdon each received the highest possible rating for hospital cleanliness based on patient responses to the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey. Nationwide, only 396 hospitals earned a five-star rating for cleanliness.
Penn Highlands Brookville is a 25-bed critical access hospital serving patients throughout Jefferson County and surrounding communities. Penn Highlands Elk is a 32-bed critical access hospital in St. Marys providing a broad range of inpatient and outpatient services.
“This recognition reflects the pride our team takes in creating a clean, safe and welcoming environment for every patient who walks through our doors,” said Julianne Peer, president of Penn Highlands Brookville and Penn Highlands Elk. “Cleanliness is an important part of the patient experience as well as infection prevention, and our environmental services teams and every member of our staff work together each day to maintain the highest standards.”
Penn Highlands Huntingdon is a 71-bed acute care hospital providing comprehensive medical, surgical and emergency services to patients throughout Huntingdon County and surrounding areas.
“We understand that a clean and comfortable environment can make a meaningful difference in a patient’s hospital experience,” said Rhonda Halstead, Regional Market President – Central Region, at Penn Highlands Healthcare. “Our patients and their families should feel confident
that their care environment is clean, comfortable and maintained with the same attention to detail we bring to every aspect of their care. This recognition is a wonderful reflection of the commitment and teamwork demonstrated by our employees every day.”
HCAHPS surveys were completed by patients between October 1, 2024, and September 30, 2025, and measure their perspectives on their hospital care and experience, including how often their room and bathroom were kept clean. CMS analyzes patient responses and assigns ratings, with five stars representing the highest level of patient satisfaction for cleanliness.
More than 4,400 hospitals participate in HCAHPS, with nearly two million patients completing the survey each year.
The five-star cleanliness ratings for Penn Highlands Brookville, Penn Highlands Elk and Penn Highlands Huntingdon highlight the health system’s ongoing commitment to providing patients with high-quality care in an environment that promotes safety, comfort and healing.