Top Hospitals By State 2026: Methodology Summary
Finding top-quality healthcare can be a challenging task, especially when you are in need of immediate assistance or are unable to travel far. Simply relying on a few past experiences or online reviews may not provide a comprehensive picture of a hospital’s overall performance. This is where unbiased and verifiable healthcare metrics come into play, offering a more accurate representation of the care you can expect to receive.
To address this need for reliable healthcare information, we are excited to announce the launch of the Forbes Top Hospitals By State list, set to be released in mid-July 2026. This list is a result of our national Forbes Top Hospitals 2026 list and ratings system, which evaluates general acute-care hospitals across the country using a unique methodology.
Our methodology is grounded in validated healthcare quality measures sourced from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Provider Data Catalog (PDC). We focus on specific measures that assess patient outcomes, hospital best practices, value, and patient experience. Clinical patient outcomes, such as mortality rates, infection rates, and readmissions, are given the most weight in our methodology to highlight the importance of these factors in determining a hospital’s overall quality.
One key aspect of our methodology is the statistical adjustment of outcome measures for social drivers of health (SDOH), such as socioeconomics and access to medical services. By accounting for these factors, our ratings aim to provide a more comprehensive assessment of each hospital’s quality, regardless of its location or community.
To qualify for the Forbes Top Hospitals By State list, hospitals must have earned 3, 4, or 5 stars on our national list. We identify the top 30% of hospitals in each state based on their Forbes Overall Hospital Quality Ratings (FOHQR) percentile. All hospitals that received an overall rating of 1 or 2 stars on our national list are excluded from the state list, while those with a 5-star rating are included.
The primary goals of this state list are to help patients make informed decisions about their healthcare and to provide hospital leaders with a benchmark for comparing their facility’s performance with others in their state. Stay tuned for the release of the Forbes Top Hospitals By State 2026 list in mid-July 2026.
For more information on our national hospital ratings methodology, FAQs, and the full list of advisors, visit our website. Remember, Forbes Top Hospitals ratings are not medical advice, and the ultimate choice for care should be made in consultation with a medical provider. In case of an emergency, call 911.
As with all Forbes lists, there is no fee for consideration or selection. For inquiries about the list, please contact us at TopHospitals@forbes.com. The world of technology is constantly evolving, with new advancements being made every day. One of the most exciting developments in recent years is the rise of artificial intelligence (AI). AI has the potential to revolutionize countless industries, from healthcare and finance to education and entertainment.
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