Little Falls Hospital Receives the 2026 Women’s Choice Award® as One of America’s Best Hospitals for Outpatient Experience

Bassett Healthcare Network’s Little Falls Hospital has been recognized as one of America’s best hospitals for Outpatient Experience by the Women’s Choice Award®, placing it among the top performing hospitals nationwide for delivering exceptional care in outpatient settings.

Little Falls Hospital is Herkimer County’s only provider of acute inpatient and 24/7 emergency care. The 25-bed hospital offers many outpatient services, including ambulatory surgery, dialysis, respiratory care, gynecologic care, orthopedic care, heart care, and other diagnostic and therapeutic services.

“Our hospital has been integrated into the Little Falls community since 1893. We have learned that when you really get to know people and what matters to them, you provide better care,” said Heidi Camardello, Director of Operations and Nursing at Little Falls Hospital. “At Little Falls Hospital, we combine high-quality services with a personal, community-minded approach. The relationships built between our practitioners and their patients are part of what makes our outpatient care so extraordinary.”

As hospitals across the country continue to prioritize value-based care and adopt minimally invasive technologies, more procedures are being performed on an outpatient basis. This shift has prompted hospitals to enhance customer service and streamline care coordination to improve the overall patient experience. According to national research, 82% of consumers would switch healthcare providers due to a poor experience, making patient satisfaction a critical factor in hospital selection.

“Overnight hospital stays can be stressful and costly,” said Delia Passi, founder and CEO of the Women’s Choice Award®. “With more procedures now available on an outpatient basis, it’s essential that women—who often juggle demanding schedules—can easily identify hospitals that offer safe, convenient, and compassionate care.”

The Women’s Choice Award for Outpatient Experience is the only national designation that combines patient satisfaction, clinical experience, and the healthcare preferences of women to identify top performing hospitals. To qualify, accredited hospitals must score at or above the national average in key categories from the Outpatient and Ambulatory Surgery Survey (OAS-CAHPS), including care by hospital staff, pre- and post-surgical coordination & communication, facility ratings, and patient recommendation scores. Survey categories are weighted based on feedback from the Women’s Choice Award’s proprietary research.

“As a critical access hospital, serving members of rural communities who deserve the same level of high-quality, advanced medical services as people who live in urban areas, Little Falls Hospital delivers,” said Susan Oakes Ferrucci, DNP, MSN, RN, CNS, President of Little Falls Hospital and Chief Hospital Executive of Bassett Healthcare Network’s Critical Access Hospitals. “We are grateful to Women’s Choice Award for recognizing what our caregivers and team members already know: Little Falls Hospital is a place where patients come for compassionate care.”

Little Falls Hospital is one of 450 total hospitals to earn this prestigious recognition in 2026. For the full list of America’s best hospitals for Outpatient Experience, click here.

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About The Women’s Choice Award®
The Women’s Choice Award for Best Hospitals™ is a trusted referral source and a prestigious credential that identifies the nation’s top hospitals based on rigorous criteria, including clinical performance, patient satisfaction, and relevant accreditations. Hospitals earning this designation demonstrate a strong commitment to delivering exceptional care and prioritizing the health and well-being of their patients. As the only award that incorporates the preferences of women in its methodology, the Women’s Choice Award empowers women to make informed healthcare decisions with confidence. In fact, 84% of women say they would trust a hospital more if it carried the Women’s Choice Award seal, making it a powerful symbol of quality and trust. To learn more, visit www.womenschoiceaward.com.