March 12, 2026- Healthgrades announced the recipients of the 2026 Patient Safety Excellence Award™. This achievement recognizes hospitals that excel at providing top-quality care while preventing serious safety events during hospital stays. This year’s recipients include 438 hospitals from 40 states and represent the top 10% of hospitals nationwide for patient safety.
According to Healthgrades’ annual analysis, if all hospitals performed as well as the 2026 Patient Safety Excellence Award winners, 100,819 patient safety events could have been avoided between 2022 and 2024. Patients treated in award-winning facilities were significantly less likely to experience the four most common patient safety indicators (PSIs), which represent a serious, preventable complication and account for 78% of all safety events:
Pressure sores or bed sores acquired in the hospital (71.9% less likely)
- In-hospital fall resulting in fracture (52.4% less likely)
- Collapsed lung due to a procedure or surgery in or around the chest (57.5% less likely)
- Catheter-related bloodstream infections acquired in the hospital (67.8% less likely)
- Pressure sores or bed sores acquired in the hospital (71.9% less likely)