Healthgrades names top specialty care hospitals for 2026

Healthgrades' 2026 Top Hospitals for Specialty Care list shows a stark disparity between the best- and worst-performing hospitals nationwide, finding that if everyone performed as five-star hospitals did, more than 230,000 lives could've been saved.

The rankings -- which recognized the hospitals with the best clinical performance across 16 specialty areas, the top performers for outpatient care for certain conditions and state rankings for specialty care -- showed that not every specialty care experience is equal.

"Our specialty awards identify the nation's top-performing hospitals across numerous medical specialties, helping consumers find high quality care tailored to their specific needs," Alana Biggers, M.D. M.P.H., medical advisor at Healthgrades, said in a press release.

Consumer-facing healthcare rankings serve a key function, as patients are increasingly empowered to shop for their own care -- especially for specialty or outpatient services that can be scheduled ahead of time.

According to this year's Healthgrades ratings, there's a notable disparity between the best specialty hospitals and those with lower ratings.

And that disparity can be a matter of life and death.

In addition to compiling the rankings, Healthgrades also compared hospital performance to hospitals that earned five stars for quality between 2022 and 2024.

During that time, the healthcare industry could've saved 230,466 lives had every hospital performed at a five-star level. Hospitals also could've prevented 183,475 complications had every hospital performed at a five-star level.

According to Biggers, it's important for patients to have resources to navigate the differences between hospital options.

 "Navigating the complex healthcare system can feel daunting, but taking a proactive stance to understand where to access superior care can enhance your healthcare journey and overall experience," she explained. "The ability to make informed decisions about your health is a cornerstone of self-advocacy, and we are proud to help make that information accessible to all patients."

Sara Heath has reported news related to patient engagement and health equity since 2015.