Mercy Ranks First in Iowa & Among Top 20 U.S. Hospitals on Lown Institute National Index

Mercy Cedar Rapids has been ranked #1 in Iowa and 19^th in the nation as a Top Hospital by the Lown Institute as part of its Hospital Index list of the nation’s top hospitals, scoring an A+ overall.

This new index honors hospitals for both their excellence in serving individual patients and for their role in advancing equity in their communities. It’s the first recognition to include metrics like inclusivity, pay equity, avoiding overuse, community benefit and civic leadership in evaluating hospital performance.

The Lown Institute is a nonpartisan think tank based in Massachusetts. This latest index compares 3,300 hospitals based on 42 performance metrics and provides a unique and holistic ranking of hospital performance.

The hospitals on the Lown ranking earned high marks in civic leadership by showing a commitment to diversity, inclusion and community health. Hospitals could also receive high value of care grades based on their low use of unnecessary services. Additionally, quality of care metrics evaluated patient safety and health outcomes.

“At this time when our community is relying on us like never before, our mission of caring for the sick and enhancing the health of the communities we serve, guided by the spirit of the Sisters of Mercy, has become even more relevant,” said Tim Charles, Mercy president and CEO. “It’s an honor to be recognized by the Lown Institute as Iowa’s #1 hospital. It’s also a reinforcement of our commitment to provide access to healthcare for all, as well as the excellent work provided by Mercy caregivers each and every day.”

Based on the Index measures, the state’s top 10 hospitals are:

1. Mercy Medical Center, Cedar Rapids
2. Trinity Regional Medical Center, Fort Dodge
3. University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics, Iowa City
4. St. Luke’s Regional Medical Center, Sioux City
5. Unity Point Health – Marshalltown
6. Pella Regional Health Center
7. Mercy Medical Center – North Iowa, Mason City
8. Mercy Medical Center – Dubuque
9. Trinity Muscatine
10. Grinnell Regional Medical Center

The Lown Index results are available at www.LownHospitalsIndex.org. Learn more about its methodology (PDF).