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US News & World Report released its first-ever list of the best hospitals for equitable access on Wednesday, recognizing providers that prioritize caring for patients from underserved populations.
Access to hospitals doesn’t just help maintain health, it can also prevent disease and early death. For example, according to the CDC, about 100,000 lives could be saved in the US each year with preventive care measures. Yet low-income individuals and people of color often lack access to the care they need.
US News identified 53 hospitals in 26 states (drawn from the 2023 US News’s Best Regional Hospitals list) that it says “provide certain vulnerable populations with substantial access to high-quality care.” Hospitals had to meet at least two of the following criteria to make the list:
- 40% or more of its patients had to be from “a community of greater socioeconomic deprivation”
- 20% or more of its patients had to identify as a racial/ethnic minority
- 20% or more of its patients had to be enrolled in Medicaid
“This positive representation of community hospitals’ dedication to equitable access across 26 states is promising,” Tavia Binger, senior health data analyst at US News, said in a press release. “However, this recognition also underscores the need for continued focus on prioritizing healthcare among vulnerable populations who may face numerous social and economic challenges in receiving care.”
The states with the most hospitals on US News’s list are California with seven; North Carolina with four; and Arizona, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, and South Carolina each with three.
Four major cities in the US—Baltimore, Detroit, St. Louis, and Tucson—all have two hospitals recognized for equitable access.