These states have the highest number of safe hospitals, according to new report
The Mayo Clinic hospital in Eau Claire. (Photo by Michael S. Williamson/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Hundreds of U.S. hospitals earned top marks for patient safety in Healthgrades’ 2026 rankings, with large states like Texas, Florida and California leading the nation in award-winning facilities and sharply lower rates of serious in-hospital complications.
Healthgrades, a platform that helps consumers find doctors and hospitals, announced its 2026 Patient Safety Excellence Awards this month, recognizing 438 hospitals across 40 states as among the top 10% nationwide for patient safety.
What they're saying:
"The data behind this year’s Patient Safety Excellence Award highlights how measurable improvements in safety can prevent thousands of complications," Dr. Alana Biggers, a medical advisor at Healthgrades, said in a statement.
RELATED: Alcohol linked to rising colon cancer risk as disease becomes leading killer
"Hospitals that prioritize evidence-based safety practices not only achieve better clinical outcomes but also cultivate a culture where patients come first," Biggers added. "These insights give individuals and families the information they need to make confident and better informed healthcare decisions."
Dig deeper:
The analysis spotlights hospitals that stand out for preventing serious, avoidable complications during patient stays, based on performance across 13 safety indicators.
Five states had the highest number of hospitals earning the recognition: Texas, Florida, California, Ohio and Pennsylvania.
Together, those states topped the list for total award recipients, with between 21 and 62 hospitals each, according to Healthgrades data cited by MedPage Today. The outlet noted that their large hospital systems likely contribute to the higher totals.
Even so, the results underscore strong safety performance in some of the country’s most populous regions, particularly in major metro areas like Los Angeles, Dallas-Fort Worth and New York City.
RELATED: This major city is introducing paid menstrual leave for female public workers
According to a news release, patients treated at these hospitals faced markedly lower risks of several of the most common and serious safety events, which make up the bulk of in-hospital complications.
Trump on making America healthy again
President Trump takes part in rural healthcare roundtable alongside HHS Sec. RFK Jr., Dr Oz and other health officials.
By the numbers:
Patients treated at award-winning hospitals experienced significantly lower risks across several key safety measures. They were 52.4% less likely to have a fall that resulted in a fracture, 57.5% less likely to suffer a procedure-related collapsed lung, 67.8% less likely to develop catheter-related bloodstream infections and 71.9% less likely to develop pressure sores.
Together, those four measures account for roughly 78% of all patient safety events, according to Healthgrades. The organization estimates that if all hospitals performed at the same level as this year’s honorees, more than 100,000 such events could have been prevented between 2022 and 2024.
Methodology:
The awards are based on an analysis of Medicare inpatient data, assessing outcomes such as complications, mortality and preventable safety events. To qualify, hospitals must meet strict clinical benchmarks and report zero instances of certain serious errors, such as leaving a foreign object behind during a procedure.
In total, 250 hospitals placed in the top 5% nationwide for safety, including facilities affiliated with major health systems like Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic and HCA Healthcare.
The other side:
No hospitals in 10 states — Alabama, Alaska, Delaware, Iowa, Maine, North Dakota, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wyoming — or the District of Columbia made this year’s list.
Experts say those gaps may be tied to factors such as rural hospital shortages and so-called "care deserts," where patients often travel longer distances for treatment and arrive with more advanced conditions.
Healthgrades also noted that nearly one-third of this year’s honorees are new to the list, signaling ongoing changes in hospital performance and patient safety practices nationwide.
The full list of hospitals that received the Patient Safety Excellence Award can be found here.
The Source: FOX News contributed to this report. The information in this story is primarily based on Healthgrades’ 2026 Patient Safety Excellence Awards. This story was reported from Los Angeles.