The Summit Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Lehighton has been recognized as a “High Performance Skilled Nursing Facility Provider” by Highmark.

The Summit, part of St. Luke’s University Health Network, has demonstrated a record of high performance and commitment to high quality, patient-centric, value-based care, according to Highmark.

Highmark has created this High Performance Skilled Nursing Facility Network to recognize high-rated, skilled nursing facilities who exhibit an outstanding commitment to work with health care providers in an effort to ensure convenient, affordable, high-quality health care.

To create this group, Highmark used metrics like high-quality medical care, value per health care dollar, readmission rates, emergency department utilization and average cost per episode.

As of Jan. 1, only the SNFs who performed at the highest levels will be included in the new network and only 50 percent of the SNFs in Pennsylvania made the list.

For patients, choosing a provider in this High Performance Network will ensure the highest level of benefits and lowest cost to them.

“It is an honor to be named a Highmark High Performance Skilled Nursing Facility, the only skilled nursing facility in Carbon County to receive this distinction,” said Alicia Shutack-Silliman, nursing home administrator for The Summit.

“As today’s patients transition to various levels of care, they are seeking high-quality medical care at the lowest cost possible. The Summit has had and will continue to have a long tradition of providing quality, cost effective health care.”