Ascension Florida Hospitals Earn 2025-2026 Best Hospitals Awards

Four Ascension Florida hospitals have been recognized for their exceptional healthcare services by U.S. News & World Report. Sacred Heart Pensacola and St. Vincent's Riverside, Southside, and Clay County have earned top honors in the 2025-2026 Best Hospitals Awards. These rankings are a testament to the dedication and hard work of the hospitals' physicians, care teams, and associates, who prioritize patient well-being and safety above all else.

Key Takeaways:

• St. Vincent's Riverside was named a Best Regional Hospital, recognized for its high performance in 11 procedures and conditions, including abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, heart bypass surgery, and leukemia treatment.
• Sacred Heart Pensacola was also named a Best Regional Hospital, recognized for its high performance in nine procedures and conditions, including abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, maternity care, and heart bypass surgery.
• St. Vincent's Southside and Clay County were named High Performing Hospitals, indicating that they placed in the top 10% for specific specialties or achieved the highest possible rating for common procedures or conditions.
• All four hospitals have earned the 2025-2026 Best Hospitals Awards, marking the second consecutive year of recognition for Sacred Heart Pensacola and St. Vincent's Riverside, Southside, and Clay County.
• U.S. News evaluated over 4,400 hospitals across 15 adult specialties and 22 procedures and conditions, with only one third earning an award.
• The hospitals were recognized for their high performance in specific procedures and conditions, including abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, heart bypass surgery, leukemia treatment, and maternity care.
• Ascension's Chief Clinical Officer, Dr. Syed Jafri, attributed the hospitals' success to the dedication and hard work of their physicians, care teams, and associates.
• U.S. News evaluated hospitals based on objective measures such as risk-adjusted mortality rates, preventable complications, and level of nursing care.

Statistics:

• 4,400 hospitals were evaluated by U.S. News across 15 adult specialties and 22 procedures and conditions.
• Only one third of the evaluated hospitals (1,466) earned an award in the 2025-2026 Best Hospitals rankings.
• St. Vincent's Riverside was recognized for its high performance in 11 procedures and conditions.
• Sacred Heart Pensacola was recognized for its high performance in nine procedures and conditions.

Sources:

• Ascension
• U.S. News & World Report
• U.S. News and World Report Best Hospital Rankings
• Contify.com