Recognized for Our Commitment to High-Quality Care

Learn about awards and accreditations Penn State Health has earned and our memberships in organizations that show our commitment to providing the best health care possible for all patients in Pennsylvania and beyond.

Awards and Accreditations

Award/AccreditationDescription
U.S News & World Report Best Children’s HospitalThe U.S. News & World Report 2024-2025 Best Children’s Hospitals ranked Penn State Health Children's Hospital among the top hospitals in pediatric cancer and pediatric and adolescent behavioral health.
U.S News & World Report Best Hospitals 

Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center was named one of the top hospitals in the nation in 2023-2024 for orthopedic care for the seventh year in a row. U.S. News & World Report also ranked Penn State Neuroscience Institute at the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center as one of the best for neurological and neurosurgical care.

Hershey Medical Center is recognized as high performing in six additional specialties: 

  • Cancer
  • Diabetes and endocrinology
  • Gastroenterology and GI surgery
  • Geriatrics
  • Urology 
  • Pulmonology and lung surgery

Overall, U.S. News ranked Hershey Medical Center as No. 1 in the Harrisburg metro region and No. 5 in Pennsylvania.

Penn State Health Holy Spirit Medical Center is rated as a high performing hospital for heart attack and stroke. 

Penn State Health St. Joseph Medical Center earned a high performing rating for treating heart failure, heart attack, pneumonia and stroke.

The Joint Commission

Accreditation and certification by The Joint Commission is recognized nationwide as a symbol of quality that reflects an organization’s commitment to meeting certain performance standards. Penn State Health hospitals have earned the following recognitions from The Joint Commission:

Hampden Medical Center:

  • Primary Stroke Center  

 
Hershey Medical Center:

  • Gold Seal of Approval™ for stroke care  
  • Comprehensive Stroke Center designation by The Joint Commission and the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association

 
Holy Spirit Medical Center:

  • Advanced Primary Stroke Center  
  • Advanced Inpatient Diabetes Care  

 
Lancaster Medical Center:

  • Gold Seal of Approval™ for stroke care  
  • Advanced Primary Stroke Center  

 
St. Joseph Medical Center:

  • Primary Stroke Center  
  • Advanced Certification in Heart Failure
American College of SurgeonsMilton S. Hershey Medical Center has been recognized by the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program for meritorious outcomes for surgical patient care in 2022. It is ranked in the top six percent of eligible hospitals nationwide for both “all cases” and “high-risk cases.”
American Heart Association and American Stroke Association 

These awards recognize Penn State Health’s commitment to following up-to-date, research-based guidelines for the treatment of heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Our hospitals received the following achievement awards:

Hampden Medical Center:

  • Get With The Guidelines ─ Heart Failure Silver Plus 
  • Get With The Guidelines ─ Stroke Silver Plus 

Hershey Medical Center:

  • Get With The Guidelines ─ Stroke Gold Plus 
  • Target: Stroke Elite Plus Honor Roll 
  • Target: Stroke Advanced Therapy Honor Roll 
  • Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll 

Holy Spirit Medical Center:

  • Get With The Guidelines ─ Heart Failure Gold Plus 
  • Get With The Guidelines ─ Stroke Gold Plus 
  • Get With The Guidelines ─ Afib Gold  
  • Mission Lifeline ¬─ STEMI Receiving Center Silver Plus

St. Joseph Medical Center:

  • Get With The Guidelines ─ Heart Failure Gold Plus 
  • Get With The Guidelines ─ Stroke Silver Plus 
  • Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
  • Mission Lifeline ¬─ STEMI Receiving Center Silver Plus
Best Doctors® in AmericaNinety-six Penn State Health physicians were recognized as the Best Doctors in America in 2022. The annual survey asks other doctors, "If you or a loved one needed a doctor in your specialty, to whom would you refer them?" See Penn State Health Best Doctors.
Capital Blue Cross Blue Distinction Center for Maternity CareSt. Joseph Medical Center is a Blue Distinction Center for Maternity Care. This designation signifies the hospital demonstrates expertise and a commitment to quality care for deliveries, better overall patient satisfaction and a lower percentage of early elective deliveries.
Disability Equality Index: Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion

The health system earned a place on the Disability Equality Index and is named one of the "2024 Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion” in the nation.

The Disability Equality Index, a joint initiative of Disability:IN and the American Association of People with Disabilities, evaluated Penn State Health in six categories: culture and leadership, enterprise-wide access, employment practices, community engagement and supplier diversity. Penn State Health was among 542 participants in the 2024 survey and received a score of 80 out of 100, earning it recognition on the list. See the full Disability Equality Index.

Highmark Blue Distinction Centers

The designations show that our hospitals successfully met quality measures for patient safety and health outcomes.

Hershey Medical Center is a designated Blue Distinction Center+ for cardiac care and knee and hip replacement. It is also a Blue Distinction Center for: 

  • Bariatric surgery
  • Complex and rare cancers
  • Spine surgery

Holy Spirit Medical Center is a Blue Distinction Center+ for knee and hip replacement and cardiac care.

Magnet® DesignationIn 2022, Hershey Medical Center earned its fourth consecutive Magnet designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Magnet status is the highest credential for nursing facilities in the United States and around the world. For patients, this means they can count on receiving the highest level of nursing care at all Penn State Health facilities, provided by nurses who have the support to be the very best that they can be. 
MilitaryTimes Best for Vets Employer

Military Times named Penn State Health to its 2022 Best for Vets: Employers list, which recognizes organizations for programs and policies that support veterans’ post-military careers. The Military Times rankings are based on the results of a voluntary survey completed by the health system’s Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. The survey covers the policies and practices that make companies an attractive place to work for current employees and future job seekers within the military community.

Military Times previously named the health system to its list in 2021.

This year, Penn State Health ranked second in Pennsylvania among all organizations submitting a survey. Nationally, the health system ranked fifth among nonprofit organizations and eighth in the Healthcare – Health Services – Medical Equipment category.

NRC Health Recognition

NRC Health awards programs recognize the nation’s leading health care organizations based on consumer loyalty, access to services, offering services that meet consumer needs and the overall patient experience. 

Penn State Health received NRC Health recognition, including the highest marks for patient satisfaction of any health system in the U.S. from 2019-2020. 

Hershey Medical Center also received:

  • 2018-2020 NRC Health Best-In-Class Top 10
  • 2017-2020 Consumer Loyalty Award
  • 1999-2017 Consumer Choice Award
Recognized Healthcare Equality LeaderHershey Medical Center earned the highest possible rating—100—on the 2022 Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Healthcare Equality Index. This national LGBTQ+ benchmarking tool evaluates health care facilities’ policies and practices on inclusion of LGBTQ+ patients, visitors and employees.
VETS Indexes Recognized Employer

Penn State Health has been named a 2024 VETS Indexes Recognized Employer for its commitment to veterans and the military-connected community. George Altman, VETS Indexes president, commended the health system for its strong efforts to hire, retain and support veterans. 

VETS Indexes is an advisory firm specializing in veteran employment issues, offering custom indexes and benchmarking services for public and private sectors.

See the full list of 2024 VETS Indexes Employer Award winners.

Memberships

MembershipDescription
Association of Academic Health CentersNow part of the Association of American Medical Colleges, the Association of Academic Health Centers is a nonprofit organization advancing the nation's health and well-being through leadership of the nation’s academic health centers.
Association of American Medical CollegesThe Association of American Medical Colleges is committed to improving the nation’s health through medical education, research and high-quality patient care. Members are dedicated to the communities they serve, committed to advancing the public good, and steadfast in their desire to earn and keep the public’s trust for the role they are privileged to play in our society.
Hospital and Healthsystem Association of PennsylvaniaThe Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania is a statewide organization that advocates for nearly 250 Pennsylvania acute and specialty care, primary care, subacute care, long-term care, home health and hospice providers, as well as the patients and communities they serve.
VizientThe nation’s leading health care performance improvement company, Vizient is a combination of VHA Inc., University HealthSystem Consortium and Novation.