Delaware Ranked No. 1 in the U.S. for Hospital Quality

The First State is first in the nation for hospital quality, according to the latest U.S. News & World Report “Best States” rankings. Delaware took the top spot this year, moving up from No. 2 in 2024.

Given ChristianaCare’s size and impact on Delaware health care, this improvement is a testament to the hard work and continual focus on quality by ChristianaCare’s caregivers.

“This is an exceptional achievement, and it demonstrates that through our unwavering focus on quality, we are leading the nation in the health care we provide,” said System Chief Medical Officer Kert Anzilotti, M.D., MBA, FACR. “Thank you to our caregivers, who demonstrate excellence and love every day. Thank you to our community for trusting us as your expert partners in care. And congratulations to our health care colleagues across the state. Together, we are creating a healthier Delaware.”

“Thank you to our caregivers, who demonstrate excellence and love every day. Thank you to our community for trusting us as your expert partners in care. And congratulations to our health care colleagues across the state. Together, we are creating a healthier Delaware.” The U.S. News & World Report data comes on the heels of ChristianaCare’s recent Leapfrog recognition, in which all three ChristianaCare hospitals received an ‘A’ grade for quality and safety.

Released on May 6, the U.S. News & World Report 2025 rankings assess state performance using 71 metrics across eight categories and include input from tens of thousands of people. This year, Delaware’s rankings improved on both hospital and health care quality, signaling progress and commitment to care.

Here is a snapshot from the latest U.S. News & World Report:

• Delaware ranks No. 1 for Hospital Quality, a measure of hospital success in performing or treating various procedures and conditions, such as cancer surgeries, organ failure, joint replacement and more.
• Delaware is ranked No. 5 for Health Care Quality, up from No. 6, measured based on Medicare quality, hospital quality, nursing home quality, and preventable hospital admissions.
• Delaware is ranked No. 10 on the list of the best states for Health Care generally, which is measured based on health care access, health care quality and public health outcomes.
• Delaware is ranked No. 10 for Health Care Access, which looks at wellness visits and dental visits of adults and children as well as health insurance enrollment and affordability.

Within the data, ChristianaCare’s impact on the overall quality of care for Delaware is apparent. “For example, we know that ChristianaCare accounts for more than 60% of all stroke and heart bypass surgery cases in Delaware, and ChristianaCare is ranked as the only high-performing hospital for these procedures in Delaware. It’s a powerful reminder to our caregivers that as we provide care and meet the needs of each of our patients, we are also collectively making an overall impact on the health of our community,” Dr. Anzilotti said.

While ChristianaCare’s Maryland footprint is much smaller than in Delaware, Maryland also received high scores — ranked at No. 6 for health care quality.

“Our Union Hospital team has clearly contributed to those rankings as recent recipients of the Healthgrades 2025 Patient Safety Excellence Award, which signifies that Union Hospital ranks among the top 10% of all short-term acute care hospitals in the nation for patient safety,” Dr. Anzilotti said. “It’s just further evidence that when we work together in a highly coordinated way to ensure every patient receives an exceptional experience and safe, high-quality care, we make an impact for everyone.” Congratulations to our caregivers for these exceptional achievements!