Sheridan Memorial Named No. 2 Hospital in Wyoming — and It’s Not Sitting Still

The original story by Weston Pope for the Sheridan Press.

For the third year in a row, Sheridan Memorial Hospital has been named one of the best hospitals in Wyoming, earning the No. 2 spot in Newsweek’s latest “Best-In-State” rankings.

St. John’s Health in Jackson Hole took the top spot, while Cheyenne Regional Medical Center, Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County, and Powell Valley Healthcare rounded out the top five.

SMH CEO Mike McCafferty said the repeat recognition is less about trophies and more about the people behind them.

“In the last three years, we’ve received that kind of accolade from Newsweek, which is very nice,” McCafferty said. “It just shows the commitment our folks have around quality health care and experience of the patient and reputation. It’s great work that our people do, and the culture that they’ve created.”

According to Newsweek, hospitals are graded on four key areas:

• Quality metrics – 50%;
• Reputation – 30%;
• Patient experience – 15%;
• Patient-reported outcomes – 5%.

In other words, it’s not just about stats on a spreadsheet — it’s also about how patients feel and how well they recover.

Sheridan Memorial isn’t just riding on rankings. The hospital is in the middle of a major expansion, including a new behavioral health unit, part of its “Growing for You” campaign.

The project broke ground in November 2023 and is expected to be finished in 2026.

The need is clear:
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI):

• More than 1 in 5 US adults experience mental illness each year;
• Suicide is the second leading cause of death among people ages 10–24.

The new behavioral health building will include:

• A separate crisis stabilization area for adolescents;
• A new pediatric unit with ligature-resistant rooms designed to reduce the risk of self-harm.

At an August 8 groundbreaking ceremony, Gov. Mark Gordon — who has made mental health a statewide priority — praised Sheridan’s role in the region.

He pointed out how Sheridan serves not only northern Wyoming, but parts of Montana, and highlighted the community’s strong network of services like VOA and the VA.

“Every one of you here today has shown your commitment,” Gordon said. “I’m really, really honored that you would take the time to say this is important enough for me to be here.”

According to Cody Sinclair, SMH’s Chief Development and Environmental Safety and Security Officer, construction is ahead of schedule and under budget.

The Board of Trustees approved $18.43 million for the project, but the final price tag is now expected to be closer to $17.5 million, SMH Director of Marketing and Communications Kristen Czaban said earlier this year.

Sheridan Memorial also recently announced it is pursuing an affiliation with Billings Clinic.

McCafferty stressed this is not a sale or merger:

“We’re trying to tap into our operational scale. We’re trying to improve patient care and have a partner that we can grow strategically with,” he said. “As we look at all the things that we’re facing and the challenges we’re facing, we need to be able to have a partner that we can go to battle with and win.”

What this means for patients:

• No big changes in day-to-day care at Sheridan Memorial;
• A goal of better digital communication between SMH and Billings Clinic;
• Cost savings for the hospital, which can be reinvested into services and technology.

The proposed affiliation is still winding its way through the approval process, but McCafferty said an official announcement could come by spring 2026.

For now, Sheridan Memorial is walking a fine line: celebrating a top ranking while clearly signaling it has no plans to coast.