Colorado has a new No. 1 hospital after 14 years
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Saint Joseph Hospital in Denver. Photo: Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post via Getty Images
Intermountain Health Saint Joseph Hospital is Colorado's new top-ranked hospital, according to U.S. News & World Report's latest Best Hospitals ranking.
Why it matters: The ranking ends UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital's 14-year run as the state's leading hospital in one of the nation's most influential guides for patients comparing care.
The big picture: Saint Joseph in Denver earned the No. 1 spot with 19 "high-performing" ratings across procedures and conditions — the most of any Colorado hospital — despite having no nationally ranked specialties.
- UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital, on the Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, ranked second statewide but remained Colorado's leader for specialized care.
- It was the state's only hospital nationally ranked in multiple specialties: cancer, pulmonology and lung surgery, and rheumatology. It also earned 14 high-performing ratings.
Between the lines: The rankings measure excellence in different ways.
- Saint Joseph excelled across a broad range of common procedures and conditions.
- UCHealth continued to stand out for treating some of the most complex illnesses.
What they're saying: Intermountain Health credited years of work improving patient safety, outcomes and patient experience for Saint Joseph's rise to the top.
- UCHealth didn't dwell on slipping, instead highlighting that three of its hospitals still landed among Colorado's top six and touted recent recognition from Newsweek and the Lown Institute.
By the numbers: Colorado's other top hospitals on the list include:
- No. 3 (tied): HCA HealthONE Swedish Medical Center (Englewood)
- No. 3 (tied): UCHealth Medical Center of the Rockies (Loveland)
- No. 5. HCA HealthONE Sky Ridge (Lone Tree)
- No. 6: UCHealth Memorial Hospital (Colorado Springs)
- No. 7: Intermountain Health St. Mary's Regional Hospital (Grand Junction)
The other side: The state was shut out of U.S. News' Honor Roll, which recognizes the country's 20 best hospitals overall.
How they did it: U.S. News analyzed more than 800 million patient records, weighing factors including risk-adjusted mortality, preventable complications and patient experience.
- This year's rankings also introduced regional specialty rankings in cancer, cardiology, orthopedics and rehabilitation, while placing greater emphasis on patient outcomes.
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