Highlight
- Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN) retains the top spot for diabetes and endocrinology in the 2025–2026 U.S. News & World Report rankings.
- New York-Presbyterian Hospital-Columbia and Cornell advances to No. 2, while Brigham and Women’s Hospital is now No. 3.
- The ranking methodology assesses clinical outcomes, patient experience, and specialized care for complex endocrine disorders.
- The top 10 list reflects evolving capabilities in multidisciplinary care, research integration, and advanced therapeutics in diabetes and endocrinology.
Background
Diabetes mellitus and endocrine disorders represent a substantial and growing clinical burden worldwide. In the U.S., diabetes affects over 37 million individuals, with significant morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs, while thyroid, adrenal, pituitary, and other endocrine disorders further complicate management for millions. Optimal care for these patients requires not only excellence in acute and chronic disease management but also access to multidisciplinary expertise, advanced diagnostics, and innovative therapies. Hospital rankings, such as those published annually by U.S. News & World Report, are widely referenced by clinicians and patients making decisions about tertiary referral and complex care.
Study Overview and Methodological Design
The 2025–2026 U.S. News & World Report evaluated 660 U.S. hospitals providing diabetes and endocrinology care, ultimately ranking the top 50. The methodology blends publicly available data, Medicare outcomes, patient experience surveys, and, for the first time in recent years, expert opinion from board-certified endocrinologists. Key components include:
- Clinical Outcomes: Risk-adjusted mortality and readmission rates for diabetes and endocrine admissions.
- Patient Experience: Survey data on communication, pain management, and discharge information.
- Specialized Services: Availability of advanced procedures (e.g., islet cell transplantation, radioiodine therapy, pituitary surgery).
- Staffing and Accreditation: Nurse staffing ratios, Magnet status, and subspecialty certification.
- Expert Opinion: Peer survey of endocrinologists regarding hospital reputation for challenging cases.
Inclusion criteria focused on hospitals with high volumes of complex endocrine and metabolic patients. Institutions were excluded if they lacked sufficient case numbers or did not report required outcomes.
Key Findings
The top five hospitals for diabetes and endocrinology in the 2025–2026 cycle are:
- Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
- New York-Presbyterian Hospital-Columbia and Cornell, NY
- Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA
- NYU Langone Hospitals, New York, NY
- UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA
Notable shifts include Johns Hopkins Hospital moving up from No. 12 to No. 6 and Houston Methodist dropping from No. 6 to No. 10. The Honor Roll highlights 20 institutions excelling in multiple specialties, reflecting institutional breadth and depth.
Statistically, the ranking’s composite scores are tightly clustered among the top 10, with differences driven by slight variations in outcome data, procedural volumes, and expert ratings. For example, Mayo Clinic’s leadership is reinforced by extremely low risk-adjusted mortality for diabetic ketoacidosis and superior endocrine surgical outcomes (U.S. News, 2025).
Mechanistic Insights and Pathophysiological Context
Leading hospitals typically integrate advanced diagnostics (continuous glucose monitoring, genetic endocrinopathies panels), multidisciplinary clinics (shared endocrinology, nephrology, and cardiology rounds), and evidence-based pathways for complex conditions such as hypopituitarism or refractory thyroid cancer. Research programs at these centers also drive rapid adoption of new therapeutics, such as GLP-1 agonists, SGLT2 inhibitors, and novel immunotherapies for type 1 diabetes, supported by robust translational science linking molecular mechanisms to clinical practice.
Clinical Implications
For clinicians, these rankings serve as a guide for referral of patients with rare or complex endocrine conditions, or those who require advanced interventions (e.g., pancreas transplantation, pituitary tumor resection). The institutional expertise found at top-ranked centers can translate to improved outcomes for patients with brittle diabetes, uncontrolled endocrine hypertension, or metastatic thyroid cancer. Additionally, these hospitals often lead or participate in multicenter trials, increasing patient access to cutting-edge therapies.
From a health systems perspective, high-performing hospitals set benchmarks for care pathways, safety protocols, and quality improvement initiatives. Their multidisciplinary models and clinical research infrastructure offer scalable templates for regional and community hospitals aiming to improve diabetes and endocrine care.
Limitations and Controversies
Despite their utility, hospital rankings face criticism regarding methodology and generalizability. The reliance on Medicare data may underrepresent pediatric or privately insured populations. Expert opinion, while valuable, introduces subjectivity and potential bias. Moreover, differences in hospital size, referral patterns, and case mix can confound comparisons. Not all high-quality regional centers are captured, and rankings may not fully account for patient-centered factors such as access, affordability, or cultural competence.
Expert Commentary or Guideline Positioning
The American Diabetes Association and Endocrine Society recommend individualized care and referral to tertiary centers for complex or refractory cases (ADA Standards of Care 2024; Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guidelines). In an editorial (JAMA, 2023), Dr. Anne Peters notes that while rankings are helpful, local expertise and continuity of care are equally critical for optimal outcomes.
Conclusion
The 2025–2026 U.S. News rankings for diabetes and endocrinology reflect sustained excellence at a handful of academic medical centers, driven by outcomes, innovation, and multidisciplinary care. While useful for guiding referrals and benchmarking, these rankings should be contextualized within broader considerations of patient needs, regional resources, and ongoing research. As diabetes and endocrine care becomes increasingly complex, continued investment in quality improvement, translational research, and equitable access will be essential to advancing outcomes nationwide.
References
- U.S. News & World Report. Best Hospitals for Diabetes & Endocrinology. 2025–2026. https://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals/rankings/diabetes-endocrinology
- American Diabetes Association. Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes—2024. Diabetes Care. 2024;47(Suppl 1):S1–S350.
- Endocrine Society. Clinical Practice Guidelines. https://www.endocrine.org/clinical-practice-guidelines
- Peters AL. Hospital Rankings and Diabetes Care: Interpreting the Numbers. JAMA. 2023;329(12):1115-1116.
