AMERICA NEEDS SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE HOSPITALS

We set the standard by measuring what matters.

Unnecessary Stents

October 31, 2023 - While coronary stents can be lifesaving for someone having a heart attack, a large body of research over the past decade shows that stents for stable heart disease don’t benefit patients more than heart medications alone. Yet hospitals continue to perform these procedures, wasting billions of dollars and exposing thousands of patients to risk of harm. How often are these procedures happening, and where? How much are we wasting on these low-value services? And what can we do to prevent unnecessary care?

Racial Inclusivity

September 19, 2023 - Most hospitals say advancing health equity in their communities is a priority, and our latest report examines just how well they’re doing. The Lown Institute has ranked over 3,000 U.S. hospitals on how well they serve patients of color and identified 11 hospital markets with the highest levels of hospital segregation.

The Most Socially Responsible Hospitals in the U.S.

July 18, 2023 - Out of more than 3,600 hospitals ranked on the Lown Hospitals Index, just 54 achieved straight "A"s on equity, value, and outcomes. Find out which hospitals received this rare distinction, how the US News Honor Roll hospitals ranked, and how hospital CEO pay correlates with social responsibility rankings.

Fair Share Spending

April 11, 2023 - Nonprofit hospitals are expected to give back to their communities in amounts that justify their massive tax breaks. We calculated “fair share" spending for 1,773 hospitals and found $14.2 billion in stranded dollars that could have been used to advance health equity, housing, food insecurity, and other local needs.

Socially responsible hospitals perform well across three areas:

Health Equity

Which hospitals are the most inclusive in America, invest the most in community health, and pay their workers fairly?

a mother holds her infant close while the father kisses the baby's cheek

Value of Care

Which hospitals are best at avoiding harmful unnecessary care and deliver the best outcomes at a low cost?

surgeon's surround a person on the operating table

Patient Outcomes

Does your hospital do well at keeping patients alive and preventing return trips to the hospital? We measure success at avoiding patient safety errors and patient satisfaction.

Vikas Saini
President
Lown Institute

Our communities deserve socially responsible hospitals — and the ones at the top of our list set a great example."