As Hollywood buzzes about the recent Oscar nominations, healthcare sites are busy updating their own accolade listings following the announcement of Healthgrades 2024 America’s Best Hospitals Awards.
The online provider search platform focuses their annual list on patient outcomes at approximately 4,500 hospitals across the U.S. Specifically, performance data in 31 common procedures and conditions from the Medicare Provider Analysis and Review (MedPAR) file purchased from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for years 2020 through 2022 were used for the awards.
The analysis includes both mortality and complication-based measures in procedures ranging from heart attack treatment to hip replacement surgeries. This methodology aims to provide an unbiased and comprehensive view of hospital performance, designating the top 5 percent of facilities for overall clinical excellence as part of America’s 250 Best Hospitals.
Two additional award groups—America’s 50 Best Hospitals and America’s 100 Best Hospitals—represent the top one and two percent of hospitals in the nation, respectively. To qualify in the top 50, a hospital must have a designation in America’s 250 Best Hospitals for at least seven consecutive years, while facilities must have at least a four-year streak to qualify for an America’s 100 Best Hospital award.
Mayo Clinic Hospital in Phoenix was tied with Lancaster General Hospital in Lancaster, Penn., with 22 consecutive years in America’s 250 Best Hospitals list, followed closely by Ascension Alexian Brothers in Elk Grove Village, Ill., with 21 consecutive years.
The impact of these rankings is not just informational but also potentially life-saving, said Healthgrades. It estimates that if all hospitals performed at the level of America's 250 Best Hospitals, over 178,000 additional lives could have been saved.
The complete list of 2024 America's Best Hospitals is available on Healthgrades' website, along with a detailed explanation of the methodology used. Additionally, Healthgrades provides rankings of hospitals in 18 key specialty areas across 32 eligible states.
Evan joined TriMed in 2011, writing primarily for Health Imaging. Prior to diving into medical journalism, Evan worked for the Nine Network of Public Media in St. Louis. He also has worked in public relations and education. Evan studied journalism at the University of Missouri, with an emphasis on broadcast media.