The 2026-27 Lown Hospitals Index: Resources for Top Performing Hospitals
Socially responsible hospitals are vital for the health of our communities and deserve to be recognized as models for others to follow. The Lown Hospitals Index for Social Responsibility is the ONLY hospital ranking that measures hospitals excellence in health equity, value of care, and patient outcomes—three areas that together define socially responsible healthcare. Top grades on the Index represent independent, data-backed recognition of your success in these areas.
A Different Approach to Hospital Ranking
The Lown Institute Hospitals Index is our signature project. It shines a light on hospitals and systems providing exceptional, high-value care. While other rankings limit themselves to what happens inside hospital walls, we expand the lens—measuring the hospitals impact on its community.
Showcase your excellence at serving their patients and community by publicizing their mission-driven impact with Lown Badges and press release templates.
5 reasons to share your high performance on the Lown Hospitals Index
- Enhance your public reputation and credibility
Independent, external recognition positions your organization as a leader in socially responsible healthcare. - Boost workforce recruitment, engagement, and retention
High performance validates a mission-driven culture and attracts staff seeking alignment between values and care delivery. - Show how you stand out from the competition
A Lown Badge credibly demonstrates leadership where others may be falling short. - Strengthen patient trust and confidence
A Lown Badge serves as a clear, trusted signal of high-performing, socially responsible care, sharing 3rd-party validation of outcomes, equity, and value. - Demonstrate impact to donors and community partners
For donors, foundations, and community partners, a Lown Badge demonstrates data-backed evidence of your impact and mission commitments.
Resources for Top Hospitals
These materials provide a guide for top performing hospitals to share their performance on the Lown Index. The Award kit includes everything you need to know about sharing the good news, including examples of badges and badge licensing information. And check out the data sources evaluated.
We’d love to help high-performing hospitals and systems like yours share the news. For information on badge licensing and no-cost press release templates, fill out the form below or reach our hospital support team directly at (617) 992-9361 or email index@lowninstitute.org.
Lown Badges are provided as scalable digital image files that feature your “A” grade and relevant metric. Artwork is licensed for use in all mediums.
Lown-authored press release templates are available for free by contacting index@lowninstitute.org or (617) 992-9361.
SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
- Lower Bucks Hospital receives “A” grade on the Lown Institute Hospitals Index for Social Responsibility
- Adventist Health Howard Memorial Named Most Socially Responsible Hospital in the Nation
- MetroHealth Highlighted as Ohio’s Most Socially Responsible Hospital
- JPS earns an “A” for social responsibility
RACIAL INCLUSIVITY
- NYC Health + Hospitals Facilities Among the Most Racially Inclusive in NYC and the United States
- Belle Glade hospital gets nationwide recognition
FAIR SHARE SPENDING
- St. Luke’s ranked #1 in Pennsylvania for charitable giving
- Roseland Community Hospital awarded top hospital “fair share” designation for its positive community impact
PROMOTIONAL VIDEOS
- Lown Institute names Adventist Health Castle Top Hospital in Hawaii
- Award recognizes Bitterroot Health as #4 “critical access” hospital in U.S.
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan Tops Lown Institute’s 2021 Racial and Economic Inclusivity Index
- Cambridge Health Alliance’s Dr. Kirsten Meisinger on a physician’s sense of purpose
Stay in the know on data updates from the Lown Hospitals Index and new social responsibility research with Hospitals On Purpose, a free monthly newsletter. Learn more and subscribe!
The Lown Institute Hospitals Index is the first ranking to define clear, measurable standards for hospital social responsibility. While most rankings measure just patient outcomes, the Lown Index takes into account the full breadth of what hospitals do as care providers, employers, and community partners. By setting these benchmarks, we seek to shine a light on those hospitals that provide exceptional, high-value patient care to all who need it in their community — and encourage all hospitals to follow their example.
Learn more about how we create the metrics and rankings on the Lown Hospitals Index.
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 racial inclusivity, avoidance of overuse, and pay equity.
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