Recognized for Our Commitment to High-Quality Care
Learn about awards and accreditations Penn State Health has earned and our memberships in organizations that show our commitment to providing the best health care possible for all patients in Pennsylvania and beyond.
Awards and Accreditations
| Award/Accreditation | Description |
|---|---|
| U.S News & World Report Best Children’s Hospital | The U.S. News & World Report 2024-2025 Best Children’s Hospitals ranked Penn State Health Children's Hospital among the top hospitals in pediatric cancer and pediatric and adolescent behavioral health. |
| U.S News & World Report Best Hospitals | Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center was named one of the top hospitals in the nation in 2024-2025 by U.S. News & World Report. The magazine also ranked Penn State Neuroscience Institute at the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center as one of the best for neurological and neurosurgical care. Hershey Medical Center is recognized as high performing in six additional specialties:
Overall, U.S. News ranked Hershey Medical Center as No. 1 in the Harrisburg metro region and No. 4 in Pennsylvania. Penn State Health Holy Spirit Medical Center is rated as a high performing hospital for treating heart attacks and strokes. Penn State Health St. Joseph Medical Center earned a high performing rating for treating heart attacks, heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. |
| The Joint Commission | Accreditation and certification by The Joint Commission is recognized nationwide as a symbol of quality that reflects an organization’s commitment to meeting certain performance standards. Penn State Health hospitals have earned the following recognitions from The Joint Commission: Hampden Medical Center:
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| American College of Surgeons | Milton S. Hershey Medical Center has been recognized by the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program for meritorious outcomes for surgical patient care in 2022. It is ranked in the top six percent of eligible hospitals nationwide for both “all cases” and “high-risk cases.” |
| American Heart Association and American Stroke Association | These awards recognize Penn State Health’s commitment to following up-to-date, research-based guidelines for the treatment of heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Our hospitals received the following achievement awards: Hampden Medical Center:
Hershey Medical Center:
Holy Spirit Medical Center:
St. Joseph Medical Center:
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| Best Doctors® in America | Ninety-six Penn State Health physicians were recognized as the Best Doctors in America in 2022. The annual survey asks other doctors, "If you or a loved one needed a doctor in your specialty, to whom would you refer them?" See Penn State Health Best Doctors. |
| Capital Blue Cross Blue Distinction Center for Maternity Care | St. Joseph Medical Center is a Blue Distinction Center for Maternity Care. This designation signifies the hospital demonstrates expertise and a commitment to quality care for deliveries, better overall patient satisfaction and a lower percentage of early elective deliveries. |
| Disability Equality Index: Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion | The health system earned a place on the Disability Equality Index and is named one of the "2024 Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion” in the nation. The Disability Equality Index, a joint initiative of Disability:IN and the American Association of People with Disabilities, evaluated Penn State Health in six categories: culture and leadership, enterprise-wide access, employment practices, community engagement and supplier diversity. Penn State Health was among 542 participants in the 2024 survey and received a score of 80 out of 100, earning it recognition on the list. See the full Disability Equality Index. |
| Highmark Blue Distinction Centers | The designations show that our hospitals successfully met quality measures for patient safety and health outcomes. Hershey Medical Center is a designated Blue Distinction Center+ for cardiac care and knee and hip replacement. It is also a Blue Distinction Center for:
Holy Spirit Medical Center is a Blue Distinction Center+ for knee and hip replacement and cardiac care. |
| Magnet® Designation | In 2022, Hershey Medical Center earned its fourth consecutive Magnet designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Magnet status is the highest credential for nursing facilities in the United States and around the world. For patients, this means they can count on receiving the highest level of nursing care at all Penn State Health facilities, provided by nurses who have the support to be the very best that they can be. |
| Military Times Best for Vets Employer | Military Times named Penn State Health to its 2024 Best for Vets: Employers list, which recognizes organizations for programs and policies that support veterans’ post-military careers. The Military Times rankings are based on the results of a voluntary survey completed by the health system’s Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. The survey covers the policies and practices that make companies an attractive place to work for current employees and future job seekers within the military community. Military Times previously named the health system to its list in 2021 and 2022. This year, Penn State Health ranked ninth in Pennsylvania among all organizations submitting a survey. Nationally, the health system ranked 22nd among nonprofit organizations and 21st in the Healthcare – Health Services – Medical Equipment category. |
| NRC Health Recognition | NRC Health awards programs recognize the nation’s leading health care organizations based on consumer loyalty, access to services, offering services that meet consumer needs and the overall patient experience. Penn State Health received NRC Health recognition, including the highest marks for patient satisfaction of any health system in the U.S. from 2019-2020. Hershey Medical Center also received:
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| Recognized Healthcare Equality Leader | Hershey Medical Center earned the highest possible rating—100—on the 2022 Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Healthcare Equality Index. This national LGBTQ+ benchmarking tool evaluates health care facilities’ policies and practices on inclusion of LGBTQ+ patients, visitors and employees. |
| VETS Indexes Recognized Employer | Penn State Health has been named a 2024 VETS Indexes Recognized Employer for its commitment to veterans and the military-connected community. George Altman, VETS Indexes president, commended the health system for its strong efforts to hire, retain and support veterans. VETS Indexes is an advisory firm specializing in veteran employment issues, offering custom indexes and benchmarking services for public and private sectors. See the full list of 2024 VETS Indexes Employer Award winners. |
Memberships
| Membership | Description |
|---|---|
| Association of Academic Health Centers | Now part of the Association of American Medical Colleges, the Association of Academic Health Centers is a nonprofit organization advancing the nation's health and well-being through leadership of the nation’s academic health centers. |
| Association of American Medical Colleges | The Association of American Medical Colleges is committed to improving the nation’s health through medical education, research and high-quality patient care. Members are dedicated to the communities they serve, committed to advancing the public good, and steadfast in their desire to earn and keep the public’s trust for the role they are privileged to play in our society. |
| Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania | The Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania is a statewide organization that advocates for nearly 250 Pennsylvania acute and specialty care, primary care, subacute care, long-term care, home health and hospice providers, as well as the patients and communities they serve. |
| Vizient | The nation’s leading health care performance improvement company, Vizient is a combination of VHA Inc., University HealthSystem Consortium and Novation. |