The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) releases annual hospital data on publically reported patient care measures and penalties. Current penalty scores are based on data collected over two years ago.

The estimated financial penalty to Gila Regional Medical Center (GRMC) is just over $61,000, which represents a significant improvement to last year's penalty of $160,000.

"We are pleased to see that our quality improvement projects are moving our scores in the right direction- we have detailed action plans and highly dedicated teams of caregivers working hard every day to move our scores higher while creating the most positive patient experience possible for those we serve," said Liana Ryan, Director of Quality and Patient Safety. "We want to avoid financial penalties imposed by CMS reimbursement rules, but much more importantly, we want to provide the best possible healthcare for those we serve."