UC San Diego Health and it’s three hospitals (Hillcrest Medical Center, Jacobs Medical Center and East Campus Medical Center) have been ranked as the top care facilities in California and the region and among the top 20 in the nation according to the 2026-2027 U.S. News & World Report ”Best Hospitals” survey. UC San Diego Health has been ranked number one in San Diego for seven years in a row and is ranked nationally in more specialties than any other health system in the region.
“Being named the best in the state and one of the leading health care destinations in the country is a real testament to the patient-dedicated, collaborative spirit of our physicians, nurses, researchers and care teams,” said UC San Diego Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla. “Together, we are truly leading the way in high-quality health care and making a meaningful impact on the lives of our patients and community.”
Patients reference U.S. News & World Report “Best Hospitals” rankings because they are grounded in standardized outcomes data that matter most to patients, including patient safety, quality of care and clinical performance.
“This year’s results – the highest ever for UC San Diego Health – reflect the power of combining leading medical expertise, exceptional care teams and the latest advances in science and technology to deliver outstanding care centered on the needs of our patients,” said Patty Maysent, chief executive officer at UC San Diego Health.
This year, U.S. News & World Report evaluated nearly 4,500 hospitals across 14 adult specialties and 23 procedures and conditions; only 16% of evaluated hospitals earned a “Best Hospitals” designation. Among these, UC San Diego Health achieved national recognition in eight specialties:
- Pulmonology & Lung Surgery (#7)
- Obstetrics & Gynecology (#8)
- Cardiology, Heart & Vascular Surgery (#15)
- Geriatrics (#15)
- Neurology & Neurosurgery (#24)
- Diabetes & Endocrinology (#26)
- Gastroenterology & GI Surgery (#27)
- Cancer (#44)
“Achieving this level of distinction is truly a team effort requiring extraordinary skill, curiosity, and dedication delivered with great care to every patient every day,” said Michael Madani, MD, chief of cardiovascular and thoracic surgery and executive director of the Cardiovascular Institute – Surgery at UC San Diego Health, and professor of surgery at University of California San Diego School of Medicine. “Our specialty care teams are truly on the forefront of innovation, bringing together the latest skills and discoveries to deliver personalized and collaborative care that patients can count on when they need it most.”
In addition to the specialty rankings, UC San Diego Health is rated as “high performing” in 22 procedures and conditions, which covers a full spectrum of illnesses and treatments from heart procedures and stroke care to cancer and orthopedic surgeries.
UC San Diego Health is the number one hospital system in California, a distinction shared with UCSF Health, UCLA Health, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and Stanford Health. This achievement validates UC San Diego Health as a leader in academic medicine, where research, clinical outcomes and patient care intersect to achieve exceptional outcomes.
To determine the Best Hospitals, U.S. News & World Report relies on expert input, as well as analysis of each hospital’s performance based on objective measures, such as patient experience, risk-adjusted mortality rates and preventable complications. The Best Hospitals Specialty rankings methodology and procedures and conditions ratings methodology measure patient outcomes using data from more than 800 million records of patient care.
UC San Diego Health, the region’s only academic health system, is dedicated to delivering outstanding patient care through commitment to community, groundbreaking research and inspired teaching. Our specialty care for serious and complex conditions is consistently ranked among the nation’s best by U.S. News & World Report and other organizations. The 1,101-bed academic health system includes Hillcrest Medical Center, Jacobs Medical Center, East Campus Medical Center, Sulpizio Cardiovascular Center, Moores Cancer Center, Shiley Eye Institute, Koman Family Outpatient Pavilion, McGrath Outpatient Pavilion and Altman Clinical and Translational Research Institute, as well as primary care and same day services at clinics throughout Southern California.
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