HEALTH
New list ranks Nashville hospital best in Tennessee, others in top 10
Beth WarrenNashville Tennessean
Aug. 4, 2026, 8:23 a.m. CT
Three Nashville hospital systems earned spots on U.S. News & World Report‘s 2026-27 Best Hospitals list released Aug. 4, with Vanderbilt University Medical Center ranking No. 1 in Tennessee
Vanderbilt, Ascension Saint Thomas and TriStar Centennial Medical Center were among 10 Tennessee hospitals recognized as Best Regional Hospitals based on measures that included patient outcomes, safety and experience
Evaluators analyzed nearly 4,500 hospitals across the country and 16% were recognized as top-notch facilities with superior clinical outcomes based on factors such as patient experience, preventable complications and risk-adjusted mortality rates. U.S. News looked at performance across 14 adult specialties and 23 procedures and conditions
The top performers include Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, which together set a world record in 2025 by performing 210 adult and pediatric heart transplants
Ascension Saint Thomas, including both its Midtown and West locations, also made the list. It’s part of one of the largest Catholic health systems in the nation, with the Midtown hospital known for its high volume of deliveries and neonatal specialty care and the West location earning a longstanding reputation for advanced surgical care for complex heart conditions
Nashville’s TriStar Centennial Medical Center, part of HCA Healthcare, also made the list of top hospitals and excelled in several specialties, including treating heart attack patients
Evaluators analyzed nearly 4,500 hospitals across the country and only 16% were recognized as top-notch facilities with superior clinical outcomes, based on factors such as patient experience, preventable complications and risk-adjusted mortality rates. U.S. News looked at performance across 14 adult specialties and 23 procedures and conditions
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Vanderbilt University Medical Center earned the No. 1 ranking as the best hospital in Tennessee and the Nashville region, according to the U.S. News findings
Evaluators also ranked Vanderbilt University Medical Center high performing in several areas treating illnesses and performing surgeries, including: cancer; diabetes and endocrinology; geriatrics; neurology and neurosurgery; spinal fusion; colon cancer surgery; ear, nose and throat surgery; gynecological cancer surgery; heart bypass surgery; heart failure; hip fracture; hip replacement; kidney failure; knee replacement; leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma; lung cancer surgery; pacemaker implantation; pneumonia; prostate cancer surgery and transcatheter aortic valve replacement, according to the U.S. News rankings.
Ascension Saint Thomas
Ascension Saint Thomas made the list of best regional hospitals when evaluators looked at services provided at both of its Nashville hospitals. Both are full-service but the Midtown location specializes in delivery and neonatal care, while the West location is known for expert heart care
Evaluators ranked Ascension high performing in several areas treating illnesses and performing surgeries, including: aortic valve repair; heart bypass; heart failure; colon cancer surgery; knee replacement; leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma; lung cancer surgery; maternity care and pacemaker implantation
Ascension Saint Thomas hospitals are among the nation’s leaders in pioneering robotic surgery using the da Vinci 5 robotic system for heart, thoracic, urology and general surgeries. Surgeons across the U.S. and in other countries are learning from the Nashville hospitals through the system’s upgraded computer processing that enables real-time teleconferencing without pauses or glitches
Health system officials spent$10 million to expand the Emergency Department in 2025 at Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital West
Currently, construction crews are working on a $120 million transformation to the 51-year-old facility and will add parking, simplify access for patients and modernize operating rooms, said Ellie Michael, named the hospital’s chief operating officer in January. Renovations include creating direct patient care areas and enhancing patient care areas at the new Heart and Kidney Transplant Center and Thoracic Surgery and Chest and Lung Center
TriStar Centennial Medical Center
Evaluators ranked TriStar Centennial Medical Center among the best in the region and high performing in several areas treating illnesses and performing surgeries including colon cancer surgery; ear, nose and throat surgery; heart arrhythmia and heart bypass surgery; heart failure; hip fracture; hip replacement; heart attack; knee replacement; leukemia, lymphoma; pacemaker implantation; and transcatheter aortic valve replacement
TriStar Centennial Medical Center has a Placenta Accreta Program to safeguard at-risk mothers and their babies during childbirth. The condition causes the placenta to attach too deeply into the wall of the uterus, putting the mother at risk of severe blood loss and other complications. The program protects patients through carefully orchestrated prenatal care and a birth plan developed by specially trained nurses, doctors and surgeons
The hospital received state approval in October tobuild a 15-bed inpatient rehab unit, which provides intensive therapy for patients up to three hours a day for at least five days per week. Staff provide an interdisciplinary approach involving physical, occupational and speech therapists, medical teams, nursing and case management
Best Regional Hospitals in Tennessee
Outside of Nashville, U.S. News recognized these seven medical centers: Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis; Methodist Hospitals of Memphis; CHI Memorial Hospital; University of Tennessee Medical Center; Covenant Health Parkwest Medical Center; Covenant Health Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center and Holston Valley Medical Center
Beth Warren covers health care and can be reached at bwarren@tennessean.com or on X at @BethWarrenCJ
