Healthgrades releases America's best hospitals ratings based on clinical outcomes

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Healthgrades has released its list of the 250, 100 and 50 best hospitals for clinical excellence. The list of 250 represents the top 5% in the nation for 2022. When culled down to lists of the top 100 and top 50, these hospitals represent the top 2% and 1%, respectively, of hospitals nationwide.

The top 50 list includes well-known health systems, such as Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and two Kaiser Permanente hospitals in California, the Lahey Hospital and Medical Center in Massachusetts, and the Mayo Clinic Hospital in Minnesota.

Others are large hospitals in relatively small towns, such as Vassar Brothers Medical Center, a 350-bed acute-care hospital in Poughkeepsie, New York, and the Lankenau Medical Center, a 331-bed hospital located in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, just outside Philadelphia. 

Healthgrades said it does not take into consideration perception or popularity in analyzing and rating hospitals. 

Many have been in the top 50 since 2020.

The 50 Best Hospitals list includes three hospitals in the state of Arizona, 10 in California, one in Colorado, one in Delaware, two in Florida, one in Georgia, four in Illinois, one in Iowa, one in Kansas, one in Maryland, one in Massachusetts, three in Michigan, one in Minnesota, two in New Jersey, three in New York, one in North Carolina, four in Ohio, two in Oregon, four in Pennsylvania, one in South Carolina, one in Texas and two in Washington.

WHY THIS MATTERS

Healthgrades wants consumers to use its lists to find care for the delivery of better than expected clinical outcomes.

But only 22% of U.S. adults reported that they considered hospital quality the last time they selected a specialist, Healthgrades said.

If all hospitals as a group performed similarly to ones achieving Healthgrades' America's 250 Best Hospitals Award, on average, 160,256 lives could potentially have been saved.

THE LARGER TREND

To assess overall hospital quality, Healthgrades analyzed the clinical performance of nearly 4,500 hospitals nationwide across more than 31 of the most common procedures and conditions.

Statistics are based on Healthgrades' analysis of MedPAR data for 2018 through 2020 and represent three-year estimates for Medicare patients only. 

Healthgrades is part of RV Health, a Red Ventures business specializing in consumer health and wellness online, with publications Healthline, Healthgrades, Medical News Today, Greatist, Psych Central, Bezzy and Platejoy. 

ON THE RECORD

"Healthgrades is putting the nation's leading hospitals right at your fingertips," said Dr. Brad Bowman, chief medical officer and head of data science at Healthgrades. "These consumer-focused awards highlight the quality and outcomes data needed in order to make an informed decision, an invaluable tool to have when considering your medical care."
 
"It is crucial to know the top-performing hospitals in your community and look to these centers of clinical excellence to support you and your family's health long term," said Burt Kann, EVP and head of product and marketing at Healthgrades. "Many individuals choose a specialist without considering the quality of the hospital where that doctor treats patients. These questions need to be asked, and Healthgrades has the answers."

Twitter: @SusanJMorse
Email the writer: susan.morse@himssmedia.com