Valued Voice

Wisconsin hospitals once again rank among the nation’s best, tying Texas for the highest number of hospitals earning five stars in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) latest Patient Survey Star Ratings. 

A list compiled by Becker’s Hospital Review using the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) data shows 22 Wisconsin hospitals earned five-star ratings for overall patient experience, tying Texas—a state with more than five times Wisconsin’s population—for the most five-star hospitals in the country.  

The ratings are based on the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS), the national survey that asks patients about their experiences during a recent hospital stay. The latest CMS data, released in August, reflect patient surveys collected from October 2024 through September 2025. 

“These ratings are especially meaningful because they reflect the voices of patients and their family members,” said Wisconsin Hospital Association Chief Quality Officer Nadine Allen. “Patient experience ratings are far more than measures of satisfaction. They are among the clearest indicators of whether patients feel heard, respected, supported and confident in their care team.”

The latest results add to a growing list of national quality distinctions for Wisconsin hospitals in 2026:

• #1 for nurse communication: 44 Wisconsin hospitals earned five stars from CMS for nurse communication—more than any other state in the country.[1]
• Among the nation’s best in overall quality: 64% of Wisconsin hospitals earned four or five stars in CMS’ Overall Hospital Star Ratings, compared to approximately 42% nationally. Wisconsin ranked fourth overall and first among states with more than 50 rated hospitals. [2]
• #1 for discharge information: Wisconsin ranks first nationally for the fifth consecutive year for hospital discharge information being provided to patients. Ninety percent of Wisconsin patients report receiving clear discharge instructions.[3]

“Any one of these rankings would be worth celebrating, but taken together they tell a much bigger story,” said WHA President & CEO Kyle O’Brien. “Year after year, across different measures and independent assessments, Wisconsin hospitals continue to rank among the best in the country for quality, safety and patient experience. That consistency matters, and it should give Wisconsin patients, employers and policymakers confidence in the care being delivered in communities across our state.”

Behind these results is a longstanding commitment by Wisconsin hospitals to transparency and continuous improvement. For more than 20 years, WHA’s CheckPoint has made Wisconsin hospital quality information publicly available and allowing hospitals, patients and employers to compare performance across a range of measures. 

[1] WHA, Wisconsin Hospitals Lead the Nation in Patient Ratings for Nurse Communication, July 8, 2026.
[2] WHA, Wisconsin Hospitals Continue to Rank Among Nation’s Best in Quality, July 28, 2026.
[3] WHA, 2026 Quarter 1 Wisconsin Hospitals Quality Snapshot, April 16, 2026.