Saint Mary of Nazareth Hospital among best in the nation at serving its patients and community, according to healthcare think tank
(CHICAGO, IL) July 10, 2025 – Saint Mary of Nazareth Hospital, a member of Prime Healthcare, has earned “A” grades in nine categories areas on the Lown Institute’s 2025–26 Hospitals Index, and is named #1 in the State of Illinois for Health Equity. Saint Mary’s “A” rated categories are: Social Responsibility, Clinical Outcomes, Patient Outcomes, Patient Safety, Health Equity, Community Benefit, Pay Equity, Inclusivity, and Racial Inclusivity. The hospital was also named among the Top 5 in the State of Illinois for Social Responsibility. Out of more than 3,500 hospitals evaluated nationwide, Saint Mary’s stands out for its commitment to delivering high-quality, equitable care.
“Hospitals are facing unprecedented political and financial challenges,” said Vikas Saini, MD, president of the Lown Institute. “In this uncertain environment, it’s more important than ever to support socially responsible hospitals that are delivering high-quality care to all in their community.”
“Being recognized by the Lown Institute is really a testament to the talented, compassionate team we have assembled here,” said Ellis Hawkins, Chief Executive Officer at Saint Mary of Nazareth Hospital. He added, “Knowing these folks as I do now, they don’t see this (hospital) so much as a job as it is a vocation – a calling. They truly care about the people we serve. This is a diverse community we care for, and yet at Saint Mary’s, every patient is seen for who they are and what we can do to care for them.”
Saint Mary’s received “A” grades in the following categories:
• Social Responsibility – a hospital’s overall combined results of equity, value and outcomes
• Clinical Outcomes – how well the hospital keeps patients alive and prevents return trips
• Patient Outcomes – reflects a hospital’s performance for their patients’ health and care experience
• Patient Safety – how well a hospital avoids preventable patient safety errors
• Health Equity – Cost efficiency and avoidance of low-value care
• Community Benefit – reflects a hospital’s commitment to community health and civic leadership
• Pay Equity – Executive pay ratio compared to non-clinical staff wages
• Inclusivity – Consistent service across income, race, and education levels
• Racial Inclusivity – “A” grade only to hospitals whose patient population is equal to their community demographics
These latest honors follow another recent recognition for Saint Mary of Nazareth for its quality and safety. The hospital earned an “A” grade for patient safety from The Leapfrog Group, based on over 30 measures of errors, accidents, injuries and infections, as well as the systems in place to prevent them.
Together, these recognitions highlight a strong, sustained commitment to patient-centered, high-quality care.
The Lown Hospitals Index for Social Responsibility is the only ranking to combine metrics of health equity and value of care alongside patient outcomes, for more than 2,700 acute care and 800 critical access hospitals nationwide — offering a holistic view of hospitals as total community partners. In the sixth annual rankings, the 2025-26 Lown Index evaluates hospitals on over 50 measures including novel metrics such as community benefit, racial inclusivity, and avoidance of overuse. Data sources include Medicare fee-for-service and Medicare Advantage claims, CMS patient safety data and hospital cost reports, and IRS 990 forms, among others.
Full methodology can be found on the Lown Index website.
The Lown Institute is an independent think tank advocating bold ideas for a just and caring system for health. Learn more at www.LownHospitalsIndex.org.
###
ABOUT SAINT MARY OF NAZARETH HOSPITAL
For over a century, Saint Mary of Nazareth Hospital, a 361-bed facility in Chicago, has served as a cornerstone of healthcare on Chicago’s near-northwest side, offering specialized and emergency and trauma care around the clock. It offers advanced surgical interventions for critical injuries and illnesses, and with a patient-centered approach, it features multi-lingual care teams dedicated to understanding the unique cultural and health needs of a diverse population. Saint Mary of Nazareth Hospital offers a comprehensive array of services, including primary care, cancer treatment, behavioral health, orthopedics and rehabilitation, cardiology, imaging, midwifery and obstetrics, minimally-invasive surgeries, and more.