Lown Institute’s 2026 Hospitals Index Names 123 Honor Roll Hospitals, Finds Little Overlap With U.S. News

Overview

• The Lown Institute published the 2026 Hospitals Index on June 23, 2026, evaluating 2,718 acute care hospitals and placing 123 on its Honor Roll for earning A grades in equity, value and outcomes.
• The index uses more than 50 public metrics from sources such as Medicare claims, CMS quality and cost data and IRS Form 990 filings to measure social responsibility, value of care and patient outcomes.
• Only two hospitals on Lown’s Honor Roll also appear on the U.S. News Honor Roll, which Lown says reflects that many prestige hospitals score well on outcomes and value but poorly on Lown’s health-equity measures.
• Methodist Medical Center in Oak Ridge, Tenn., ranked No. 1 among acute care hospitals and became one of four hospitals to earn Honor Roll status five times, while 37 critical access hospitals and 11 health systems also made the list.
• Lown’s president, Vikas Saini, said hospitals on the Honor Roll show that institutions can prioritize patients and communities despite financial pressure, a point that could influence patients choosing care and policymakers setting incentives.