5 California hospitals made national ‘Honor Roll.’ Here’s why — and where to find them

California is home to some of the best hospitals in the nation, according to U.S. News & World Report.

A total of five medical centers in the Golden State landed on the publication’s list of 20 best hospitals in the United States in 2024-25, released Tuesday.

Medical facilities made the national Honor Roll based on their health care specialties, patient experiences and other factors.

“For more than 30 years, the mission of U.S. News & World Report’s annual Best Hospitals rankings has been to help guide patients, in consultation with their doctors, to the right hospital when they need care,” U.S. News’ managing editor Ben Harder wrote in an article titled “ America’s Best Hospitals: the 2024-2025 Honor Roll and Overview. ”

“Because each patient’s needs are different, U.S. News offers rankings and ratings in three dozen different health care services, including cancer care, orthopedics, heart bypass surgery and much more,” Harder said.

What are the best medical hospitals in California?

Five California hospitals earned spots on U.S. News & World Report’s national Honor Roll.

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles earned top 50 rankings in 11 areas of complex care. It was also rated “high performing” — the highest rating possible — in all 20 procedures and conditions the publication evaluates.

Specialties at the Southern California hospital include gastroenterology, gynecology and obstetrics.

Stanford Health Care-Stanford Hospital in Stanford earned a high performing rating in 19 of 20 procedures and conditions.

It ranked in 11 medical specialties, including cardiology, orthopedics and ear, nose and throat health.

UC San Diego Health-La Jolla and Hillcrest Hospitals in San Diego ranked among the top 50 hospitals in 11 medical specialties — ranging from geriatrics to pulmonology and lung surgery — and earned the top-tier rating in 18 of 20 procedures and conditions.

UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles earned a high-performing rating in all 20 evaluated procedures and conditions.

It was among the top 50 hospitals in 14 medical specialties, including diabetes, endocrinology and urology.

UCSF Medical Center in San Francisco had 13 ranked specialties, including cancer, neurology and psychiatry. It was rated as high performing in 19 of 20 procedures and conditions.

Where are the best medical facilities in US?

U.S. News’ Honor Roll features a total of 20 medical facilities across the United States, listed in alphabetical order.

They include Duke University Hospital in Durham, North Carolina, Penn Presbyterian Medical Center in Philadelphia, Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore and Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City.

Also on the list are Mayo Clinic locations in Phoenix, Arizona, and Rochester, Minnesota.

How did U.S. News & World Report come up with rankings?

U.S. News & World Report rates hospitals in 20 benchmark procedures and conditions, such as knee replacement, heart bypass surgery and gynecological cancer surgery .

The publication also ranks hospitals in 15 areas of complex specialty care .

“These ratings and rankings are based on each hospital’s patient outcomes — that is, how well patients have fared after treatment — as well as other factors that matter to patients,” U.S. News said, such as the quality of patients’ experience and whether hospitals are adequately staffed.

Hospitals with a wide breadth of excellence are recognized as Best Regional Hospitals , and the top medical facilities are also named to the Honor Roll.

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