World’s Best Hospitals 2026
Four South Dakota hospitals have earned national recognition in the Newsweek World’s Best Hospitals 2026 rankings, presented in partnership with Statista.
The annual ranking, now in its eighth year, evaluates more than 2,500 hospitals across 32 countries, providing patients and families with reliable, transparent data to help guide important health care decisions. Hospitals are assessed using four primary data sources: recommendations from medical experts, hospital quality metrics, patient experience data and Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs), which capture patients’ perspectives on their functional well-being and quality of life. This year’s methodology placed increased emphasis on hospital quality metrics and expanded accreditation, safety and patient experience data.
To read the full Newsweek article – Click Here
South Dakota hospitals recognized in the 2026 rankings include:
- Sanford USD Medical Center – Sioux Falls (score – 68.77%)
- Avera McKennan Hospital and University Health Center – Sioux Falls (score – 64.38%)
- Brookings Hospital – Brookings (score – 63.51%)
- Avera St. Luke’s Hospital – Aberdeen (score – 61.00%)
This recognition reflects the dedication of South Dakota’s health care professionals and their ongoing commitment to delivering high-quality care to patients across the state. We congratulate these member hospitals on this outstanding achievement and their continued leadership in advancing health care excellence. Congratulations to all those recognized this year.
Chartis Center for Rural Health recognizes top performance
Each year, The Chartis Center for Rural Health recognizes outstanding rural hospitals across the country through its annual Top 100 awards. The South Dakota Association of Healthcare Organizations (SDAHO) is proud to share that several of our members have been named 2026 award recipients.
These recognitions highlight the exceptional care and essential services rural hospitals provide to their communities. Hospitals are evaluated using the Chartis Rural Hospital Performance INDEX™, the industry’s most comprehensive and objective assessment of rural hospital performance in the United States.
2026 Top 100 Critical Access Hospital
- Avera Hand County Memorial Hospital – Miller, SD
2026 Top 100 Rural & Community Hospitals
- Avera St. Luke’s Hospital – Aberdeen, SD
- Brookings Health System – Brookings, SD
- Monument Health Spearfish Hospital – Spearfish, SD
- Prairie Lakes Healthcare System – Watertown, SD
- Avera Sacred Heart Hospital – Yankton, SD
SDAHO congratulates these member organizations for their continued commitment to quality, performance, and advancing rural health across South Dakota.
To view the full list of recognized hospitals – Click Here
About The Chartis Center for Rural Health
Founded more than 25 years ago, The Chartis Center for Rural Health is dedicated to improving healthcare delivery nationwide. The organization provides data-driven insights and advisory services focused on rural health performance, health equity, workforce sustainability, and other critical industry priorities.
