Best Hospitals by State 2018 - 2019
Each year, U.S. News and World Report helps our nation’s patients and hospital job seekers by evaluating our nation’s hospitals in key areas of performance and quality. In doing so, they aim to seek out and highlight the best hospitals in the nation, in each state, by each region or metropolitan area, and by each specialty.
For most lists, these assessments consist of two specific classifications: national rankings within 16 specialities (12 of which are data-driven) and “high performing” grades in 9 common procedures or conditions.
In 2018, there were 4,667 individual hospitals that were initially eligible to be evaluated. From this starting point, only 154 U.S. hospitals performed well enough to be nationally ranked in one or more specialties, but there were many more that earned “high performing” grades, as well as recognition in their local communities — or what’s referred to as 2018-2019’s Best Regional Hospitals.
To find themselves as one of their region or state’s best hospitals, a hospital must either be nationally ranked in one of the 12 data-driven specialties, have earned at least 4 ratings of “high performing” in a specialty, or they must earn a rating of “high performing” in at least four of the nine procedure/conditions evaluations.
Top ranking for the best hospitals by state and region were determined, adjusted, and given preference to hospitals with higher rankings on the 2018-2019 Honor Roll, hospitals with a greater number of nationally-ranked specialties (the 12 data-driven ones), hospitals with the more high performance ratings in the 12 data-driven specialties and the 9 procedures and conditions, and hospitals with the fewest “below average” ratings in 9 procedures and conditions ratings. Based on these qualifications, here are the #1, best hospitals in the United States, by state.
Best Hospitals by State:
Alabama
Best Hospital in Alabama: University of Alabama Hospital at Birmingham — Birmingham, AL
Awards/Accolades: Nationally ranked in 9 specialties, and ranked as “high performing” in 9 procedures and conditions.
Alaska
Best Hospital in Alaska: No hospital ranked as #1.
No hospitals (out of 28 in the state) are nationally ranked for any specialty. Only 1 hospital has “High Performing” marks in various procedures/conditions.
Arizona
Best Hospital in Arizona: Mayo Clinic — Phoenix, AZ
Awards/accolades: National ranked in 10 specialities, and achieved a “high performing” status in 8 procedures/conditions.
Arkansas
Best Hospital in Arkansas: CHI St. Vincent Infirmary — Little Rock, AR
Awards/accolades: They are not nationally ranked in any specialty, but the achieved a “high performing” designation in 7 procedures/conditions.
California
Best Hospital in California: UCLA Medical Center — Los Angeles, CA
Awards/accolades: Nationally ranked in 15 adult specialties and 10 children’s specialties. They also achieve “high performing” marks in 9 procedures/conditions.
Colorado
Best Hospital in Colorado: University of Colorado Hospital — Aurora, CO
Awards/accolades: Nationally ranked in 10 specialties, and they are “high performers” in 9 procedures/conditions.
Connecticut
Best Hospital in Connecticut: Yale-New Haven Hospital — New Haven, CT
Awards/accolades: Nationally ranked in 11 adult specialties and 6 children’s specialties. They also achieved 9 “high performing” designations in procedures/conditions.
Delaware
Best Hospital in Delaware: Christiana Care Christiana Hospital — Newark, DE
Awards/accolades: Nationally ranked in 4 specialties and received “high performing” marks in 9 procedures/conditions.
Florida
Best Hospital in Florida: Mayo Clinic Jacksonville — Jacksonville, FL
Awards/accolades: Nationally ranked in 8 specialties, and have “high performing” designations in 7 procedures/conditions.
Georgia
Best Hospital in Georgia: Emory University Hospital — Atlanta, GA
Awards/accolades: Nationally ranked in 6 specialties, including 9 “high performing” honors in procedure/conditions.
Hawaii
Best Hospital in Hawaii: No hospital ranked as #1.
However, Queen’s Medical Center (Honolulu, HI) is nationally ranked in 5 specialties and has 7 “High Performing” designations in procedures/conditions. A handful of other hospitals have “High Performing” marks in various procedures/conditions.
Idaho
Best Hospital in Idaho: St. Luke’s Regional Medical Center — Boise, ID
Awards/accolades: Nationally ranked in 1 specialty, and are considered “high performers” in 9 procedures/conditions.
Illinois
Best Hospital in Illinois: Northwestern Memorial Hospital — Chicago, IL
Awards/accolades: Nationally ranked in 13 specialties, and are “high performers” in 9 procedures/conditions.
Indiana
Best Hospital in Indiana: IU Health Academic Health Center — Indianapolis, IN
Awards/accolades: Nationally ranked in 8 adult specialties and 10 children’s specialties, and they received “high performing” marks in 9 procedures/conditions.
Iowa
Best Hospital in Iowa: University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics — Iowa City, IA
Awards/Accolades: Nationally ranked in 7 adult specialties and 8 children’s specialties. “High Performing” in 6 procedures/conditions.
Kansas
Best Hospital in Kansas: University of Kansas Hospital — Kansas City, KS
Awards/accolades: Nationally ranked in 11 specialties, and “High Performing” in 7 procedures/conditions
Kentucky
Best Hospital in Kentucky: University of Kentucky Albert B. Chandler Hospital — Lexington, KY
Awards/accolades: Nationally ranked in 1 specialty, and they are “High Performers” In 8 procedures/conditions.
Louisiana
Best Hospital in Louisiana: Ochsner Medical Center — New Orleans, LA
Awards/accolades: Nationally ranked in 3 specialties, and they are “High Performing” in 6 procedures/conditions.
Maine
Best Hospital in Maine: No hospital ranked as #1.
No hospitals (out of the roughly 40 in the state) are nationally ranked for any specialty. A few hospitals received “High Performing” marks in various procedures/conditions, including Maine Medical Center (Portland, ME), which received “High Performing” marks in 9 conditions/procedures.
Maryland
Best Hospital in Maryland: Johns Hopkins Hospital — Baltimore, MD
Awards/accolades: Nationally ranked in 15 adult specialties and 10 children’s specialties. They are also “High Performers” in 7 procedures/conditions.
Massachusetts
Best Hospital in Massachusetts: Massachusetts General Hospital — Boston, MA
Awards/accolades: Nationally ranked in 16 adult specialties and 5 children’s specialties. They received “High Performing” designations in 9 procedures/conditions.
Michigan
Best Hospital in Michigan: University of Michigan Hospitals and Health Centers — Ann Arbor, MI
Awards/accolades: Nationally ranked in 12 adult specialties and 8 children’s specialties. They are considered “High Performers” in 9 procedures/conditions.
Minnesota
Best Hospital in Minnesota: Mayo Clinic — Rochester, MN
Awards/accolades: Nationally ranked in 15 adult specialties and 8 children’s specialties. They are considered “High Performers” in 9 procedures/conditions.
Mississippi
Best Hospital in Mississippi: No hospital ranked as #1.
No hospitals (out of the nearly 120 in the state) are nationally ranked for any specialty. Only a handful have “High Performing” marks in various procedures/conditions.
Missouri
Best Hospital in Missouri: Barnes-Jewish Hospital/Washington University — Saint Louis, MO
Awards/accolades: Nationally ranked in 12 specialties. They are considered “High Performers” in 9 procedures/conditions.
Montana
Best Hospital in Montana: Billings Clinic — Billings, MT
Awards/accolades: They are not nationally ranked for any specialty, but they achieved “High Performing” marks in 6 procedures/conditions.
Nebraska
Best Hospital in Nebraska: Nebraska Medical Center — Omaha, NE
Awards/accolades: They are not nationally ranked for any specialty, but they are considered “High Performing” in 8 procedures/conditions.
Nevada
Best Hospital in Nevada: No hospital ranked as #1
No hospitals (out of the nearly 60 in the state) are nationally ranked for any specialty. However, a handful do have “High Performing” marks in procedures/conditions.
New Hampshire
Best Hospital in New Hampshire: No hospital ranked as #1
No hospitals (out of the 32 in the state) are nationally ranked for any specialty. However, a handful do have “High Performing” marks in procedures/conditions.
New Jersey
Best Hospital in New Jersey: Hackensack University Medical Center — Hackensack, NJ
Awards/accolades: Nationally ranked in 4 specialties. They are considered “High Performers” in 9 procedures/conditions.
New Mexico
Best Hospital in New Mexico: No hospital ranked as #1
No hospitals (out of the nearly 60 in the state) are nationally ranked for any specialty. However, a handful do have “High Performing” marks in procedures/conditions.
New York
Best Hospital in New York: New York-Presbyterian University Hospital of Columbia and Cornell — New York, NY
Awards/accolades: Nationally ranked in 15 adult specialties and 10 children’s specialties. They are considered “High Performers” in 8 procedures/conditions.
North Carolina
Best Hospital in North Carolina: Duke University Hospital — Durham, NC
Awards/accolades: Nationally ranked in 13 adult specialties and 10 children’s specialties. They are considered “High Performers” in 9 procedures/conditions.
North Dakota
Best Hospital in North Dakota: Sanford Medical Center — Bismarck, ND
Awards/accolades: They are not nationally in specialties, but they are considered “High Performers” in 7 procedures/conditions.
Ohio
Best Hospital in Ohio: Cleveland Clinic — Cleveland, OH
Awards/accolades: Nationally ranked in 14 adult specialties and 9 children’s specialties. They are considered “High Performers” in 9 procedures/conditions.
Oklahoma
Best Hospital in Oklahoma: Integris Baptist Medical Center — Oklahoma City, OK
Awards/accolades: They are not nationally ranked in any specialty, but they are considered “High Performers” in 6 procedures/conditions.
Oregon
Best Hospital in Oregon: Oregon Health and Science University Hospital — Portland, OR
Awards/accolades: Nationally ranked in 7 adult specialties and 7 children’s specialties. They are considered “High Performers” in 9 procedures/conditions.
Pennsylvania
Best Hospital in Pennsylvania: Hospitals of the University of Pennsylvania-Penn Presbyterian — Philadelphia, PA
Awards/accolades: Nationally ranked in 11 specialties, as well as “High Performers” in 9 procedures/conditions.
Rhode Island
Best Hospital in Rhode Island: No hospital ranked as #1
No hospitals (out of the 16 in the state) are nationally ranked for any specialty. However, a handful do have “High Performing” marks in procedures/conditions.
South Carolina
Best Hospital in South Carolina: Medical University of South Carolina Medical Center — Charleston, SC
Awards/accolades: Nationally ranked in 5 adult specialties and 6 children’s specialties. They also achieved “High Performing” marks in 8 procedures/conditions.
South Dakota
Best Hospital in South Dakota: Sanford USD Medical Center
Awards/accolades: Nationally ranked in 2 specialties. They achieved “High Performing” marks in 8 procedures/conditions.
Tennessee
Best Hospital in Tennessee: Vanderbilt University Medical Center — Nashville, TN
Awards/accolades: Nationally ranked in 9 adult specialties and 10 children’s specialties. They achieved “High Performing” marks in 9 procedures/conditions.
Texas
Best Hospital in Texas: Houston Methodist Hospital — Houston, TX
Awards/accolades: Nationally ranked in 10 specialties. They also achieved “High Performing” marks in 9 procedures/conditions.
Utah
Best Hospital in Utah: University of Utah Hospitals and Clinics — Salt Lake City, UT
Awards/accolades: Nationally ranked in 1 specialty. They achieved “High Performing” marks in 4 procedures/conditions.
Vermont
Best Hospital in Vermont: No hospital ranked as #1
No hospitals (out of the 16 in the state) are nationally ranked for any specialty. However, a few do have “High Performing” marks in procedures/conditions.
Virginia
Best Hospital in Virginia: University of Virginia Medical Center — Charlottesville, VA
Awards/accolades: Nationally ranked in 3 adult specialties and 4 children’s specialties. They achieved “High Performing” marks in 9 procedures/conditions.
Washington
Best Hospital in Washington: University of Washington Medical Center — Seattle, WA
Awards/accolades: Nationally ranked in 11 specialties. They achieved “High Performing” marks in 8 procedures/conditions.
West Virginia
Best Hospital in West Virginia: Charleston Area Medical Center — Charleston, WV
Awards/accolades: They a not nationally ranked in any specialties, but they achieved “High Performing” marks in 4 procedures/conditions.
Wisconsin
Best Hospital in Wisconsin: University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics — Madison, WI
Awards/accolades: Nationally ranked in 9 adult specialties and 6 children’s specialties. They achieved “High Performing” marks in 9 procedures/conditions.
Wyoming
Best Hospital in Wyoming: No hospital ranked as #1
No hospitals (out of the 31 in the state) are nationally ranked for any specialty. However, a couple do have “High Performing” marks in procedures/conditions.
Best Hospitals in the U.S.
To see the remaining hospitals that ranked by state, region, and by metropolitan area (including the District of Columbia), visit U.S. News and World Report’s Best Hospitals by State page and click on your desired area. While the above list highlights each state’s #1 ranking hospital (and the link highlights the top 3 and more), it may be even more useful (and informational) to review which hospitals are considered the best — nationwide.
Reviewing such information can be found on the 2018-2019 Honor Roll — a “best of the best” list and designation that honors U.S. hospitals who’ve earned top rankings and results for their combined efforts in quality care, success in complex specialties, and performance in common procedures and conditions.
No matter which list you review as you seek out your ideal hospital job, remember to simply use them as starting points. Each hospital may perform differently or better in one condition or procedure than another. For information about job availability, be sure to contact Human Resources and Hospital Careers, and for more on your desired hospital’s performance in certain specialties, procedures, or conditions, consider contacting the Quality Measures Manager, a position that could exist per floor, department, specialty, or by hospital.
