Each year, U.S. News & World Report publishes its Best Hospitals rankings, a widely respected resource for patients and healthcare providers alike. These rankings play a pivotal role in shaping the public’s perception of hospital quality while providing essential data to inform healthcare decisions. The 2025-2026 edition, released on July 18, 2025, highlights 504 regional hospitals that have demonstrated superior outcomes, with 20 hospitals earning a coveted spot on the Honor Roll.
The rankings are grounded in robust scientific and statistical methods. This year, U.S. News implemented weight-based composite scoring and began evaluating risk-adjusted survival outcomes among both Medicare Advantage and traditional Medicare beneficiaries. Such refinements aim to improve the precision and relevance of hospital performance metrics. Additionally, two new clinical cohorts—heart arrhythmia and pacemaker implantation—were included, bringing the total number of evaluated procedures and conditions to 22.
Despite the objective basis of these rankings, misconceptions about their significance persist. Some individuals may equate higher rankings with guaranteed better outcomes, ignoring personal health needs and geographic considerations. Conversely, others may undervalue regional hospitals, believing only major academic centers provide quality care. Both assumptions can lead to suboptimal health choices.
Patients are encouraged to use rankings as one of many tools in healthcare decision-making. Factors such as proximity, specific medical expertise, and insurance coverage should also influence choices. Consulting with healthcare providers to discuss individual needs and hospital recommendations is crucial for balanced decision-making.
Ben Harder, chief of health analysis at U.S. News, emphasizes the importance of these rankings for communities. “For most Americans, healthcare decisions are made close to home. The Best Regional Hospitals rankings underscore the difference high-performing local medical centers make,” he said. Such insights highlight the rankings’ role in empowering patients and providers with accessible, data-driven healthcare insights.
The 2025-2026 U.S. News Best Hospitals rankings stand as a testament to ongoing efforts to evaluate and improve healthcare quality. By incorporating innovative methodologies and broadening the scope of evaluated conditions, these rankings continue to foster transparency and guide patients toward informed healthcare decisions. Whether for routine procedures or complex treatments, the rankings offer valuable insights to navigate the evolving landscape of medical care.
The Best Hospitals Honor Roll in alphabetical order includes:
- AdventHealth Orlando, Orlando;
- Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston;
- Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles;
- Cleveland Clinic;
- Hackensack University Medical Center at Hackensack Meridian Health, Hackensack, New Jersey;
- Hospitals of the University of Pennsylvania-Penn Presbyterian, Philadelphia;
- Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston;
- Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore;
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston;
- Mayo Clinic-Arizona, Phoenix;
- Mayo Clinic-Rochester, Minnesota;
- Mount Sinai Hospital, New York;
- New York-Presbyterian Hospital-Columbia and Cornell, New York;
- Northwestern Medicine-Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago;
- NYU Langone Hospitals, New York;
- Rush University Medical Center, Chicago;
- Stanford Health Care-Stanford Hospital, Palo Alto, California;
- UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles;
- UCSF Health-UCSF Medical Center, San Francisco; and
- University of Michigan Health-Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
References
Hospital ratings revamp will boost emphasis on outcomes. Available at: https://health.usnews.com/health-news/blogs/second-opinion/articles/2025-03-18/hospital-ratings-revamp-will-boost-emphasis-on-outcomes. Published March 18, 2025. Accessed July 24, 2025.