Jamestown Regional Medical Center announced this week that it placed 56th on Modern Healthcare’s 2025 Best Places to Work in Healthcare list, moving up 13 places from its 2024 ranking. Modern Healthcare’s annual program evaluates organizations using employee survey results alongside a review of workplace policies and benefits, highlighting institutions with strong cultures and engaged staff.

The national acknowledgment offers a concrete measure of internal improvements at Jamestown Regional and provides local residents with a reason to scrutinize how workplace conditions translate to patient care. Hospitals with higher staff engagement and supportive policies typically experience lower turnover, fewer staffing gaps and more continuity in services—outcomes that matter in Stutsman County, where access to consistent primary and specialty care can be tenuous.

For a community hospital, recognition on a national stage can bolster recruitment efforts, helping attract clinicians and support staff who might otherwise favor urban centers. That, in turn, can strengthen the hospital’s capacity to provide services locally rather than sending patients to distant facilities. The list’s methodology—grounded in anonymous employee feedback and documented benefits—also points to areas where Jamestown Regional has invested in workers, such as workplace policies or benefit structures that contribute to staff wellbeing and professional stability.

Public health implications extend beyond workforce metrics. A stable, well-supported hospital workforce is central to emergency preparedness, managing chronic disease, and delivering preventive care. In rural communities, where social determinants like transportation, housing and childcare affect both staff retention and patient access, hospital workplace quality intersects with broader equity concerns. Improved workplace culture can help ensure that vulnerable populations receive timely, culturally competent care; conversely, sustained systemic challenges—including funding constraints and regional provider shortages—may limit how far recognition alone can go.

Local leaders and policymakers can use the recognition as leverage to advocate for sustained investment in rural health infrastructure, workforce development programs, and supportive services that address burnout and social needs. Community support, from local government to businesses, can further reinforce the hospital’s ability to translate workplace gains into strengthened health services for the county.

Jamestown Regional posted the announcement on its website, noting the ranking and the factors behind Modern Healthcare’s assessment. While awards are not a substitute for continued attention to wages, staffing, and social supports, this ranking offers a hopeful signal that efforts to improve workplace culture at the hospital are yielding measurable results with potential benefits for patients and the broader Stutsman County community.