PRESS RELEASE: Top hospitals in American named by the Lown Institute
125 “socially responsible” hospitals earn Honor Roll status for outcomes, value, and equity
BOSTON—More than 100 U.S. hospitals achieved top performance across measures of equity, value, and outcomes, according to the 2025 Lown Hospitals Index. Despite workforce shortages, rising costs, looming Medicaid cuts, and other challenges, Lown Institute analysts say this year’s Honor Roll demonstrates it is possible for hospitals to deliver high-value, equitable care.
The 125 top hospitals were selected from more than 2,700 nationwide, with more than half earning Honor Roll status for a second consecutive year.
The 10 top acute care hospitals in the United States are:
- Duke Regional Hospital (Durham, N.C.)
- Fort Loudoun Medical Center (Lenoir City, Tenn.)
- Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Pflugerville (Pflugerville, Texas)
- Denver Health Main Campus (Denver)
- Methodist Medical Center (Oak Ridge, Tenn.)
- Prisma Health Baptist Hospital (Columbia, S.C.)
- TriStar Horizon Medical Center (Dickson, Tenn.)
- Sharon Hospital (Sharon, Conn.)
- Inspira Medical Center Vineland (Vineland, N.J.)
- Southern California Hospital at Hollywood (Los Angeles)
“These hospitals show that no matter how tough the environment gets, putting patients and communities first is always possible,” said Vikas Saini, MD, president of the Lown Institute. “Those returning to the list prove that equitable, high-value care doesn’t have to be rare, it’s a standard hospitals can uphold year after year.”
Socially responsible hospitals exist in many regions and settings. The Honor Roll includes major academic medical centers like MedStar Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C. and Emory University Hospital in Atlanta; rural community hospitals like Stillwater Medical Center in Stillwater, Okla.; and safety-net institutions like Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia. Pennsylvania had more hospitals (12) on the Honor Roll than any other state.
Methodology
The Lown Index uses publicly available data from traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage claims; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services datasets on patient safety, patient experience, and hospital costs; Internal Revenue Service Form 990; and other sources. See our full methodology for more information.
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About the Lown Institute
The Lown Institute is an independent think tank advocating bold ideas for a just and caring system for health. We envision a healthcare system focused on what’s best for people, like hospitals caring for those most in need, patients living without fear of financial distress, and health professionals finding joy in their roles. The Lown Hospitals Index, a signature project of the Institute, is the first ranking to assess the social responsibility of U.S. hospitals by applying measures never used before like community investment, medical overuse, and CEO pay.
Contact
Aaron Toleos, Lown Institute, (978) 821-4620, atoleos@lowninstitute.org