MedStar Health and the System’s Acute Care Hospitals Receive Top Honors as Most Socially Responsible for Serving Patients and Community by Independent Healthcare Think Tank

MedStar Washington Hospital Center ranks #1 in the District; MedStar Good Samaritan ranks #2 in the state of Maryland.

COLUMBIA, Md. – 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. MedStar Washington Hospital Center is again the most socially responsible hospital in Washington, D.C; MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital ranked #2 in the state of Maryland and both hospitals ranked among the best in the nation for social responsibility.

The 2024-25 Lown Institute Hospitals Index measured more than 3,500 hospitals and 311 hospital systems nationwide. MedStar Washington Hospital Center and MedStar Good Samaritan were among just 154 hospitals to earn national Honor Roll status with “A” grades in all top categories: Social Responsibility, Equity, Value, and Outcomes — key performance metrics that contribute to the overall rating.

Only 5% of hospitals achieved Honor Roll status.

All nine acute care hospitals in the MedStar Health system earned “A” grades in overall Social Responsibility.

For the national ranking of Social Responsibility, hospital systems were rated on a composite of more than 50 equity, value, and outcomes measures. MedStar Health earned “A” grades in the categories of Social Responsibility, Health Equity, Value of Care, Patient Outcomes, Community Benefit, Inclusivity, Cost Efficiency, Clinical Outcomes and Patient Safety.

“We are honored to be recognized in these areas that are of utmost importance and priority for MedStar Health as a system that serves such a large and diverse population of patients,” said Stephen R.T. Evans, MD, executive vice president, medical affairs, and chief medical officer for MedStar Health. “We have many dedicated and hard-working teams taking a wholistic approach to ensure we’re delivering the most excellent and socially responsible care to our patients and to the communities we serve.”  

“We are extremely proud and pleased to be recognized for our commitment to our patients and the communities we serve — many from the most vulnerable and underserved neighborhoods—who come through our doors for their medical care,” said Gregory J. Argyros, MD, president, MedStar Washington Hospital Center. “This recognition is a testament to our teams that work hard every day to provide equitable, inclusive, and safe, high-quality care to everyone — no matter who they are or where they live.”

“Receiving this recognition is a testament to our unwavering commitment to providing accessible care to all, and making a meaningful impact in our community,” said T.J. Senker, FACHE, president of MedStar Good Samaritan and MedStar Union Memorial Hospitals, and senior vice president of MedStar Health.  "The distinction underscores our unique approach to emphasizing not just medical excellence, but also care that is equitable, compassionate, and socially responsible for everyone who needs it.”

Among the metrics that make up Lown’s Social Responsibility recognition, MedStar Georgetown University Hospital was ranked #1 in the District of Columbia for both Value of Care and Avoiding Overuse.  MedStar Union Memorial Hospital and MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital were ranked #1 in the state of Maryland for patient outcomes and patient safety, respectively.

“Great care is only great if everyone can access it,” said Vikas Saini, MD, president of the Lown Institute. “We need hospitals that are not only leaders in clinical care, but also strong community partners—and the hospitals at the top of our list are showing the way.”

The Lown Hospitals Index for Social Responsibility is the only ranking to combine metrics of health equity and value of care alongside patient outcomes. Data sources include Medicare fee-for-service and Medicare Advantage claims, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services safety data and hospital cost reports, Internal Revenue Service 990 forms, among others. Learn more at LownHospitalsIndex.org.