Healthgrades has recognized 438 hospitals across 40 states for their excellence in patient safety, with Texas and Florida leading the way in top-performing facilities for 2026.
Healthgrades, a platform dedicated to helping patients find healthcare providers and hospitals, has announced its 2026 Patient Safety Excellence Awards, recognizing 438 hospitals across 40 states for their commitment to patient safety. This month’s report highlights the hospitals that rank among the top 10% nationwide for their ability to prevent serious, avoidable complications during hospital stays, based on 13 patient safety indicators.
Among the states, five stood out for having the highest number of hospitals earning this prestigious distinction: Texas, Florida, California, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. These states led the nation in total award recipients, with the number of recognized hospitals ranging from 21 to as many as 62, according to data cited by MedPage Today.
The concentration of high-performing hospitals in these states may be influenced by their size, as larger states tend to have more hospitals overall. A spokesperson from Healthgrades noted, “The prevalence of recipients in a particular state could be related to something as simple as that state having a large number of hospitals.”
Despite this, the findings underscore strong safety performance across several of the nation’s most populated regions, particularly in major metropolitan areas such as Los Angeles, Dallas-Fort Worth, and New York City. Patients treated at these award-winning hospitals experienced significantly lower risks for some of the most common and serious safety events that contribute to in-hospital complications.
According to the report, patients at hospitals recognized for their excellence in safety were 52.4% less likely to experience an in-hospital fall resulting in a fracture, 57.5% less likely to suffer a collapsed lung related to procedures, 67.8% less likely to develop catheter-related bloodstream infections, and 71.9% less likely to develop pressure sores. These four indicators alone account for approximately 78% of all patient safety events, as noted by Healthgrades. If all hospitals performed at the same level as this year’s award recipients, it is estimated that over 100,000 patient safety events could have been avoided between 2022 and 2024.
Dr. Alana Biggers, a medical advisor at Healthgrades, commented on the significance of the data behind this year’s awards, stating, “The data highlights how measurable improvements in safety can prevent thousands of complications.” She emphasized that hospitals prioritizing evidence-based safety practices not only achieve better clinical outcomes but also foster a culture where patients come first. “These insights give individuals and families the information they need to make confident and better-informed healthcare decisions,” Dr. Biggers added.
The award is based on an analysis of Medicare inpatient data, which evaluates outcomes such as complications, mortality, and preventable safety events. To qualify for the Patient Safety Excellence Award, hospitals must meet strict clinical thresholds and report zero cases of certain serious errors, such as leaving a foreign object behind during a procedure.
In total, 250 hospitals ranked in the top 5% nationwide for safety, including facilities affiliated with renowned healthcare systems such as Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, and HCA Healthcare. However, it is worth noting that ten states had no hospitals on the list: Alabama, Alaska, Delaware, Iowa, Maine, North Dakota, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wyoming, and the District of Columbia.
Experts suggest that factors such as rural hospital shortages and “care deserts” may contribute to these gaps, as patients in underserved areas often face longer travel times and arrive with more advanced medical conditions. Additionally, nearly one-third of this year’s recognized hospitals were new to the list, reflecting ongoing shifts in hospital performance and safety practices across the country.
The full list of hospitals that received the Patient Safety Excellence Award can be found on the Healthgrades website. For further commentary, Fox News Digital has reached out to Healthgrades.
According to MedPage Today, the recognition of these hospitals highlights the importance of patient safety and the ongoing efforts to improve healthcare outcomes across the nation.