In the latest rankings by U.S. News & World Report, two prominent Chicago hospitals have secured their positions on the national ‘Best Hospitals’ Honor Roll for 2025-26.
Northwestern Medicine – Northwestern Memorial Hospital and Rush University Medical Center have both been distinguished among the top 20 hospitals in the United States.
This annual assessment considered nearly 4,400 hospitals across the nation, evaluating them in 15 different specialties, including critical fields such as cancer, heart surgery, and neurosurgery, among others.
Hospitals qualifying for the Honor Roll were those that excelled in at least one specialty.
Points were awarded based on a multitude of factors such as patient outcomes, patient experience, staffing levels, and expert opinions.
According to a statement from Northwestern Medicine, this year marks the 14th consecutive time that Northwestern Memorial has earned a spot on the esteemed Honor Roll.
Dr. Howard Chrisman, president and CEO of Northwestern Memorial HealthCare, expressed pride in the hospital’s ongoing recognition.
“Every day our physicians, nurses and staff demonstrate their commitment to better medicine, better outcomes, and better patient care,” he said.
Rush University Medical Center also celebrated its achievements, particularly in its Neurology and Neurosurgery program, which was ranked No. 5 in the nation.
Additionally, Rush secured top rankings in Illinois for its Neurology and Neurosurgery, Orthopedics, and Ear, Nose, and Throat specialties.
“Our continued success on the U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals rating… speaks volumes about the dedication and clinical excellence exhibited by our entire team,” stated Dr. Omar Lateef, president and CEO of Rush University Medical Center.
Both Northwestern Memorial and Rush University Medical Center shared the title of the No. 1 hospital in Illinois.
Following them, the University of Chicago Medical Center was ranked No. 3 in the state.
Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn and Endeavor Health Evanston Hospital ranked No. 4 and No. 5, respectively.
The Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago also made headlines, being recognized as the top rehabilitation hospital in the nation.
In total, 504 hospitals were acknowledged for their exceptional care and services, out of a pool of more than 4,000 hospitals.
The following is the complete list of the top 10 hospitals in Illinois according to the latest U.S. News & World Report:
1. Northwestern Medicine-Northwestern Memorial Hospital and Rush University Medical Center (tie)
2. University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago
3. Advocate Christ Medical Center, Oak Lawn
4. Endeavor Health Evanston Hospital, Evanston
5. Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, Park Ridge
6. Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital, Winfield
7. Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital, Lake Forest
8. Endeavor Health Edward Hospital, Warrenville
9. Northwestern Medicine-McHenry, Huntley, Woodstock Hospitals, McHenry
The Honor Roll includes the following top hospitals in the United States, listed in alphabetical order:
– AdventHealth Orlando, Orlando, Florida
– Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
– Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
– Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio
– Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackensack, New Jersey
– Hospitals of the University of Pennsylvania-Penn Presbyterian, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
– Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas
– Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland
– Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
– Mayo Clinic-Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona
– Mayo Clinic-Rochester, Rochester, Minnesota
– Mount Sinai Hospital, New York City, New York
– New York-Presbyterian Hospital-Columbia and Cornell, New York City, New York
– Northwestern Medicine-Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago, Illinois
– NYU Langone Hospitals, New York City, New York
– Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois
– Stanford Health Care-Stanford Hospital, Palo Alto, California
– UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
– UCSF Health-UCSF Medical Center, San Francisco, California
– University of Michigan Health-Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor, Michigan
This year’s rankings reflect the continued excellence in healthcare services being provided in Chicago and its surrounding areas.
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