Rush University Medical Center is ranked as the fifth highest-performing academic medical center in the U.S. by Vizient, the country’s largest health care performance improvement company.
This is the 14th consecutive year that Rush has earned a top 10 ranking by the organization that helps more than 1,400 hospitals – including 95 percent of the nation’s academic medical centers – improve care quality by using shared, objective data to benchmark and improve performance.
Rush employees are united by a shared commitment to providing the best possible care to every patient, every day. Being designated as among the nation’s top comprehensive academic medical centers is a testament to the dedication, skill and compassion of the people who make that care possible.”
Dr. Omar Lateef, Rush President and CEO
This year’s Quality and Accountability Study compares 1,346 participating hospitals in seven groups of similarly sized hospitals using anonymized patient data fed directly from each institution’s electronic health record from between July 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026. Performance was analyzed and compared in six areas: mortality, efficiency, effectiveness, patient centeredness, safety and variation in care. The study also incorporated patient satisfaction survey data hospitals submit to the federal government. This is the 14th consecutive year that Rush has been measured to be among the top five percent of “Comprehensive Academic Medical Centers,” a hospital category Vizient defines by volume and complexity of care, including solid-organ transplants, complex cardiothoracic and neurosurgical procedures, and patient transfers from hospitals when higher acuity care is needed.
Objective, current data from inpatients drives quality improvement efforts
The Vizient Quality & Accountability Study is widely used by leading health systems not only as an accurate gauge of how well hospitals deliver care, but to also to drive performance improvement efforts because:
- Vizient does not factor in reputation. While other rankings rely heavily on opinion surveys, Vizient’s study is entirely based on data.
- The rating uses current data. Scores reflect care provided from July 1, 2025 and June 30, 2026. Other ratings typically rely on insurance claims data that can be 18 to 24 months old.
- It includes all patients. While other ratings only include patients covered by Medicare, the Vizient study compares outcomes for patient covered by commercial insurance policies.
- The ranking compares similar-sized hospitals. Vizient groups hospitals into subtypes, so large academic medical centers like Rush are compared with hospitals that have similar volumes and perform a similar range of procedures.
Rush’s chief quality officer, Dr. Brian Stein, says Vizient’s shared data-driven business model enables hospitals from across the country to improve patient care by learning from one another.
“Hospitals collaborate more than they compete,” Stein says. “Hospitals from across the country being able to quantify and compare metrics against some of the world’s best hospitals to replicate what helps patients heal really matters.”
“Delivering consistently high-quality care requires organizations to align clinical expertise, operational discipline and a continuous focus on improvement,” said David Levine, MD, Vizient’s chief medical officer. “The hospitals recognized this year demonstrate what is possible when that commitment is embedded across the organization, resulting in better performance and, most importantly, better care for patients.”
Quality commitment spans, connects Rush system
While the distinction reflected results from patients treated at Rush University Medical Center, the commitment to the best possible care is a promise made systemwide, said Dr. Paul Casey, Rush’s chief medical officer.
“The high quality of Rush care was recognized no matter how and where patients access care. Our physicians, nurses and staff often treat patients at several of the Rush hospitals and clinics in Chicago, the suburbs, Northwest Indiana and, increasingly, virtually. But no matter where or how the care is delivered, the commitment to provide the best possible care is who we are and is what connects and drives us.”
Rush Oak Park Hospital was recognized as one of the top performers in the “community hospitals” category while Rush Copley Medical Center in Aurora was highlighted as a top performer in the “complex care medical center” category.
The entire Rush System for Health earned the Vizient Stewardship Award, which recognizes healthcare organizations that demonstrate leadership and measurable achievements in how their purchasing strategies advance environmental sustainability and community impact efforts.
“This year’s Stewardship Top Performers demonstrate the impact healthcare organizations can achieve by embedding sustainability and responsible sourcing into their broader supply chain strategies,” said Cristina Indiveri, vice president, core tenets, spend management at Vizient.
“Their leadership shows how purchasing decisions can enhance transparency, strengthen resilience, support local and small businesses, and deliver measurable value for their organizations, communities and the environment.”
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