Hundreds of hospitals across the U.S. are being celebrated for their focus on patient safety. Recently, Healthgrades named 438 hospitals in 40 states as top performers in their 2026 Patient Safety Excellence Awards.
This award highlights hospitals that excel at preventing serious complications during patient stays, based on 13 key safety indicators.
The states with the most award winners are Texas, Florida, California, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, with numbers ranging from 21 to 62. This concentration may be partly due to the sheer number of hospitals in these areas, according to a Healthgrades spokesperson.
“States with a larger number of hospitals often see more award recipients,” they noted. Still, these results show a strong commitment to safety in many densely populated regions, notably in cities like Los Angeles, Dallas-Fort Worth, and New York City.
Patients treated in these award-winning hospitals were significantly less likely to face serious safety issues. For instance, they experienced:
- 52.4% fewer in-hospital falls leading to fractures.
- 57.5% fewer collapsed lungs related to procedures.
- 67.8% fewer catheter-related bloodstream infections.
- 71.9% fewer pressure sores.
These issues account for a large percentage of in-hospital complications, and if all hospitals performed at this standard, over 100,000 safety events could have been avoided from 2022 to 2024.
Dr. Alana Biggers, a medical advisor at Healthgrades, emphasized that improving safety measures can make a big difference. “Hospitals that focus on proven safety practices achieve better outcomes and foster a culture that prioritizes patients,” she explained. “This information helps families make informed healthcare choices.”
To earn this award, hospitals must meet strict clinical criteria and report zero incidents of serious errors, such as leaving foreign objects in a patient’s body after surgery.
Among the top performers, 250 hospitals ranked in the top 5% for safety, including well-known systems like Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic. However, ten states, including Alabama and Alaska, had no hospitals on the award list.
Experts point to issues like the shortage of rural hospitals as a reason for these gaps. Patients in underserved areas often have longer travel times and more advanced health issues by the time they receive care.
Interestingly, nearly one-third of the recognized hospitals were new to the list, indicating evolving safety practices in healthcare. Keeping an eye on these changes can help improve the overall health landscape.
For more detailed insights, check out the full list of award winners on the Healthgrades website.
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