Congratulations to the top 20 Iowa hospitals honored for clinical excellence!
Newsweek and Statista have officially released their "Americaβs Best-in-State Hospitals 2026" list. We are thrilled to share that 20 of our Iowa customer facilities earned a spot on this prestigious list! They join an elite group of 800 top-performing hospitals recognized nationwide.
Out of more than 6,000 hospitals across the United States, these rankings serve as a vital guide for families. They help patients find reliable, high-quality care within their own communities. The 2026 evaluation used real-time quality metrics, patient experience data, and expert tips from thousands of medical professionals.
The ICN Commitment to Iowa Healthcare
The Iowa Communications Network (ICN) takes great pride in supporting our state's hospitals and clinics. By providing secure, high-speed internet connectivity, we enable life-saving telehealth services and advanced medical coordination. It is an honor to empower the medical professionals across Iowa as they carry out their essential work.
Official Rankings: Iowaβs Best-in-State Hospitals
The following 20 facilities have been recognized for their outstanding commitment to patient care:
- UnityPoint Health - St. Luke's Hospital, Cedar Rapids β
- UI Health Care Medical Center, Iowa City
- MercyOne Dubuque Medical Center, Dubuque β
- Mercy Medical Center, Cedar Rapids
- Mary Greeley Medical Center, Ames β
- MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center, Des Moines
- Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospital, Council Bluffs β
- MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center, Mason City
- Broadlawns Medical Center, Des Moines
- CHI Health Mercy Council Bluffs, Council Bluffs
- UnityPoint Health - Allen Hospital, Waterloo
- Spencer Municipal Hospital, Spencer β
- UnityPoint Health - Iowa Methodist Medical Center, Des Moines
- MercyOne Genesis Medical Center - Davenport
- St. Anthony Regional Hospital, Carroll
- Sioux Center Health, Sioux Center β
- MercyOne Clinton Medical Center, Clinton
- Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center, West Burlington
- UnityPoint Health Trinity, Bettendorf
- Orange City Area Health System, Orange City β
β Indicates the hospital received an additional Patient Experience Award for outstanding patient satisfaction.
How the 2026 Rankings Were Calculated
To better match today's healthcare landscape, the national list grew from 700 to 800 hospitals this year. The final scores are based on four critical data pillars:
- Hospital Quality Metrics (50%): Includes official care data from CMS and the AHA Annual Survey (which now tracks staffing levels). It also checks quality tags from groups like The Joint Commission and Planetree.
- Hospital Reputation (30%): Based on a nationwide survey of tens of thousands of healthcare professionals.
- Patient Experience (15%): Taken from official HCAHPS surveys. These score how well doctors and nurses communicate, as well as hospital cleanliness.
- PROMs Implementation (5%): Tracks how well hospitals use Patient-Reported Outcome Measures to check real-time recovery quality.
By focusing on local access, Newsweek and Statista give patients a clear map for medical excellence in every state.
Supporting Iowaβs Rural Health
In addition to direct broadband connections, the ICN provides setup support and cyber security for the [Iowa Rural Health Telecommunications Program (IRHTP)]. This network ensures that rural hospitals can use the same life-saving databases and medical specialists as larger city hospitals.
For more information you can visit our Healthcare page to learn more about what we do for these trusted facilities in our state.