The Gold Seal of Approval® from The Joint Commission
(2024-2027: Three-year designation)
This accreditation was granted for MedStar Union Memorial Hospital’s continued dedication to improving health care quality and safety. Hospital accreditation provides the highest approval on how well our staff:
- Provides a safe environment for patient care
- Educates patients about risks and options for diagnosis and treatment
- Protects patients’ rights, including privacy rights
- Evaluates patients’ conditions—before, during, and after diagnosis and treatment
- Protects patients against infection
- Plans for emergency situations
The Joint Commission also awarded MedStar Union Memorial Hospital an Advanced Palliative Care Certification and continued designation as a Primary Stroke Center.
Get With the Guidelines® Awards (2024)
The American Heart Association and American Stroke Association honored both MedStar Union Memorial Hospital and MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital with the Get With the Guidelines® – Stroke Gold Plus achievement award. In addition, MedStar Union Memorial was recognized with the Target: Stroke Honor Roll elite and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll designations. MedStar Good Samaritan was recognized with the Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll designation. These awards demonstrate our commitment to quality patient care.
Curtis National Hand Center reopens (2024)
A $3.2 million renovation to the Curtis National Hand Center at MedStar Union Memorial Hospital in May 2024 has modernized the 23,000 sq. foot, two-floor location to train more specialists and provide patients with better care. Founded by Dr. Raymond Curtis in 1975, the Curtis National Hand Center was the birthplace of the hand subspecialty and has grown to be the largest hand center in the world.
New Heart and Vascular Outpatient Center (2024)
MedStar Heart & Vascular Institute (MHVI)
Tipping Point Challenge (2024)
MedStar Union Memorial Hospital made the honor roll in the Clinical Training category of the Center for Advance Palliative Care’s (CAPC) national John A. Hartford Foundation Tipping Point Challenge. This is the second time the hospital has received this prestigious award that is dedicated to the quality of care for people living with a serious illness.
Laboratory Accreditations (2024)
The College of American Pathologists (CAP) awarded accreditation to the laboratories at both MedStar Union Memorial Hospital and MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital.
The Association for the Advancement of Blood and Biotherapies (AABB) awarded certification to the Blood Bank and Tissues departments at both hospitals.
CMS Star Ratings (2024)
MedStar Union Memorial Hospital achieved five stars.in the 2024 Overall Hospital Quality Star Rating Results from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital achieved a three-star rating.
Lown Institute Hospitals Index (2024)
MedStar Health ranks in the top five hospital systems in the United States for outstanding social responsibility, according to the Lown Institute, an independent healthcare think tank. The only ranking to combine metrics of healthy equity and value of care alongside patient outcomes, the 2024-25 Lown Institute Hospitals Index measured more than 3,500 hospitals and 311 hospital systems nationwide.
MedStar Union Memorial Hospital and MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital were ranked number one in Maryland for patient outcomes and patient safety, respectively.
America Heart Association / American Stroke Association Gold Plus Award (2022)
MedStar Union Memorial Hospital has received The American Heart Association / American Stroke Association's Get With the Guidelines ® - Stroke GOLD PLUS; Target Stroke Honor Roll; Target Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll Awards.
Wellness Pacesetter (2022)
MedStar Union Memorial Hospital has been honored by the Healthiest Maryland Business at Work Recognition and a Wellness Pacesetter.
As a Wellness Pacesetter, our hospital has been recognized for:
- Establishing workplace wellness practices
- Using at least three of the four wellness strategies of policy, programming, benefits, and environmental support
- Evaluating wellness initiatives to guide future planning and implementation
Vizient Quality Leadership Award (2022)
MedStar Union Memorial Hospital (MUMH) is the proud recipient of the Vizient Bernard A. Birnbaum 2022 Quality Leadership award, ranking 8th out of 148 complex care medical centers in the Vizient database. Vizient is the nation's leading healthcare performance improvement company, and their membership includes more than 50 percent of the acute care hospitals in the U.S. and 97 percent of the nation's academic medical centers. MUMH was assigned to the complex care group based on the large amount of cardiothoracic and neurosurgical services we provide.
First in the world to perform minimally invasive spine surgery using Excelsius3D intelligent imaging platform (2022)
The Gold Seal of Approval® from The Joint Commission
(2021-2024: Three-year designation)
This accreditation was granted for MedStar Union Memorial Hospital’s continued dedication to improving health care quality and safety. Hospital accreditation provides the highest approval on how well our staff:
- Provides a safe environment for patient care
- Educates patients about risks and options for diagnosis and treatment
- Protects patients’ rights, including privacy rights
- Evaluates patients’ conditions—before, during, and after diagnosis and treatment
- Protects patients against infection
- Plans for emergency situations
The Joint Commission also awarded MedStar Union Memorial Hospital an Advanced Palliative Care Certification and continued designation as a Primary Stroke Center.
Get with The Guidelines® Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award (2019-2022)
These prestigious awards from the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association recognize MedStar Union Memorial Hospital’s commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines centered on the latest scientific evidence.
MedStar Union Memorial Hospital was also recognized with a Target Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll award in 2021.
Baltimore Magazine’s Excellence in Nursing Award (2022)
Twenty-five MedStar Health nurses were recognized with Baltimore magazine’s Excellence in Nursing Award for their leadership and outstanding patient care.
Baltimore Magazine’s Top Doctors (2019-2022)
For many years, MedStar Health physicians have been recognized with Baltimore magazine’s Top Doctor honor for providing safe, high-quality, compassionate care to our patients. In 2019, 48 physicians were honored at MedStar Union Memorial hospital. We’re proud of our more than 6,000 physicians at MedStar Health, especially those who have received this prestigious award.
Hand Surgeon Earns Honor for Clinical Research (2019, 2021)
Aviram Giladi, MD, earned the 2021 J. Leonard Goldner Award for pioneering clinical research from the American Society for Surgery of the Hand at their annual meeting in San Francisco, CA. He won in 2019 for another research project, which makes him the only surgeon to have ever won twice. This recognition gives national visibility for his work done at The Curtis National Hand Center.
Highest Quality of Heart Care (2020)
MedStar Heart & Vascular Institute at MedStar Union Memorial Hospital received two awards from the American Heart Association for meeting or exceeding national benchmarks in high quality heart care: Mission Lifeline Gold Plus and NSTEMI Gold.
Exemplary Care for Older Adults (2020)
MedStar Union Memorial Hospital maintains the “Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders” (NICHE) Senior-Friendly” status due to providing excellent care for older adults through educational courses, conferences, and evidence-based protocols.
Star Ratings from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (2020)
The cardiac surgery program at MedStar Union Memorial Hospital has earned a 3-star rating from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) in two key procedures: isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and combined aortic valve replacement (AVR) +CABG. Three stars is the highest category of quality. The STS Adult Cardiac Surgery Database is the world’s premier clinical outcomes registry for adult cardiac surgery.
Excellence in Care for People with Serious Illness (2020)
MedStar Union Memorial Hospital was named a winner of The John A. Hartford Foundation Tipping Point Challenge in Recognition of Excellence for Improving the Care of People Living with Serious Illness. The national competition and quality improvement challenge is sponsored by the Center to Advance Palliative Care and The John A. Hartford Foundation.
Star Ratings from Hospital Compare (2019-2020)
Hospital Compare, part of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), released Star Ratings on its website for hospitals across the country to help patients understand quality of care. MedStar Union Memorial Hospital was one of only two hospitals within Baltimore City to receive 5 Stars, the highest rating possible.
U.S. News & World Report “Best Hospitals” (2019)
MedStar Union Memorial Hospital ranked #4 in the Baltimore metro area and in the state of Maryland as well as a “High Performing” hospital ranking in orthopaedics.
Newsweek’s World’s Best Hospitals (2019)
MedStar Union Memorial Hospital is one of 226 hospitals in the United States named to this list of 1,000 worldwide. Only 7 hospitals in Maryland made the list. Newsweek said these hospitals “are at the forefront of adapting to new challenges while providing top-notch patient care” and “were selected based on recommendations from medical professionals, patient survey results, and medical performance indicators.”
Becker Healthcare’s List of 100 Great Hospital in America (2019)
MedStar Union Memorial Hospital was recognized nationally for excellence in clinical care, patient outcomes, as well as staff and physician satisfaction. The hospital was among other industry innovators in healthcare technology, hospital management, and patient satisfaction.
Practice Greenhealth Environmental Excellence Award Winner (2019-2021)
This award recognizes MedStar Union Memorial Hospital’s ongoing commitment to improving its environmental performance and our efforts to build sustainability into our operations.
Women’s Choice Award (2019)
MedStar Union Memorial Hospital qualified for the Women’s Choice Award as America’s Best Hospitals™ for Heart Care, a coveted credential that identifies the nation’s best hospitals based on robust criteria that includes relevant clinical performance, patient satisfaction, and appropriate accreditations.
MIEMSS Designation for Hand Trauma Care (1994-present)
The Curtis National Hand Center is designated as the Hand and Upper Extremity Trauma Center for the state of Maryland by the Maryland Institute of Emergency Medical Services Systems.
Residency and Fellowship Program Accreditations
MedStar Union Memorial Hospital has accreditation for residency programs in internal medicine, general surgery, orthopaedics, and pharmacy. Fellowship programs are in hand surgery, foot and ankle surgery, shoulder and elbow, sports medicine, and endocrinology.
American Heart Association Workplace Health Achievement Award (Bronze Level Recognition) (2017)
The MedStar Union Memorial Hospital Associate Wellness Committee received the American Heart Association Workplace Health Achievement Award (Bronze Level Recognition) for the effectiveness and quality of its workplace wellness program.
Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award (2017)
MedStar Union Memorial Hospital received the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award with Target: StrokeSM Honor Roll status.
Partner for Change Award, Practice Greenhealth (2017)
MedStar Union Memorial Hospital received the Partner for Change Award, Practice Greenhealth in recognition for successful programs to reduce the hospital’s environmental impact. The award is given each year to honor environmental achievements in the healthcare industry. MedStar Union Memorial also received special recognition for Greening the OR, an award that recognizes hospitals that are roughly in the top 20 to 25 percent of the scoring for the Greening the OR category (representing about 60 to 75 hospitals in the country).
Certification from The Joint Commission (2017)
MedStar Union Memorial Hospital has received certification from The Joint Commission for its Palliative Care, Hips and Knee, Shoulder, and Spine programs.
Stroke Certification, State of Maryland (2017)
MedStar Union Memorial Hospital’s Stroke Program earned certification from the State of Maryland.
Gold Plus Achievement Award and Target: Stroke Honor Roll (2016)
The American Heart Association and American Stroke Association recognizes Medstar Union Memorial for achieving 85% or higher compliance with all Get With The Guidelines — Stroke Achievement Measures and 75% or higher with five or more Get With The Guidelines- Stroke Quality Measures for two or more consecutive years and achieving Time to Intravenous Thrombolytic Therapy ≤ 60 minutes in 50 % or more of applicable acute ischemic stroke patients to improve quality of patient care outcomes.
Practice Greenhealth Environmental Excellence Award (2016)
MedStar Union Memorial was recognized for our ongoing commitment to improving its environmental performance and pride in realizing a top standard of excellence in sustainability.
MedStar Union Memorial is Fully Accredited by The Joint Commission (TJC) (2016)
The successful achievement of Joint Commission accreditation is the internationally recognized symbol of health care quality. In addition to the accreditation of the entire Hospital, MedStar Union Memorial has received additional, special certifications in:
- Certification in Hip and Knee Joint Replacement
- The first hospital in Baltimore to receive Spine Surgery certification
- The first hospital in Maryland to earn advanced certification for Palliative Care
- Designated as a Primary Stroke Center
HealthGrades - Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence™ Recipient (2016)
MedStar Union Memorial is rated in the top 5% in the nation with the lowest risk-adjusted mortality and complication rates across at least 21 of 32 common conditions and procedures. These distinguished hospitals exhibit comprehensive and consistent quality across a range of conditions and procedures.
American Heart Association's Gold Fit-Friendly Worksite Award (2016)
MedStar Union Memorial is committed to providing physical activity and wellness opportunities for our employees. We have been recognized as a Gold Level Recipient of the American Heart Association’s Fit-Friendly Worksites Recognition program.
National Accreditation for Program for Breast Centers (2016)
MedStar Union Memorial Breast Center, part of the MedStar Health Cancer Network, was recently awarded three-year full accreditation by the NAPBC (National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers). This accreditation is only given to centers that have voluntarily committed to provide the highest level of quality breast care and that undergo a rigorous evaluation process and review of their performance.
U.S. News & World Report 2015-2016
MedStar Union Memorial was recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of the best hospitals in the Baltimore region for Orthopedics ,Heart Bypass, and Knee Replacement in July of 2015.
American College of Surgeons' Commission on Cancer (2015)
MedStar Union Memorial's cancer program as part of the MedStar Health Baltimore Cancer Network has been awarded the Outstanding Achievement Award by the Commission on Cancer (CoC) of the American College of Surgeons (ACS). As one of only 20 programs in the nation and one of two in Maryland to receive the award, the Cancer Network joins an elite group to be endorsed nationally for achieving excellence and delivering the highest standards of cancer care.
View the Commission on Cancer's website
The Curtis National Hand Center (1994)
IThe U.S. Congress designated appropriations for the purpose of creating a National Hand Center for the treatment of the hand and upper extremities at the Curtis Hand Center in MedStar Union Memorial Hospital.
CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Blue Distinction® Center+ Designation
MedStar Union Memorial Hospital has been designated as a Blue Distinction Centers+ for Knee and Hip Replacement, demonstrating expertise in total knee and total hip replacement surgeries, resulting in fewer patient complications and hospital readmissions.
CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Blue Distinction® Center+ Designation
MedStar Union Memorial Hospital has been designated as Blue Distinction Centers+ for Spine Surgery, demonstrating expertise in cervical and lumbar fusion, cervical laminectomy, and lumbar laminectomy/discectomy procedures, resulting in fewer patient complications and hospital readmissions compared to other hospitals.