HAGERSTOWN, Md. — Meritus Medical Center announced today that it has achieved numerous distinctions for exceptional clinical performance from Healthgrades, the No. 1 site Americans use when searching for a doctor or hospital. Among Meritus’ new recognitions are a Specialty Excellence Award, which places the hospital among the top 10% nationwide for surgical care. Meritus is also five-star rated for four services, including hip fracture treatment, spinal fusion surgery, respiratory failure treatment, and diabetic hospitalizations.

In addition to this top honor, Meritus ranked second among Maryland hospitals for surgical care. The hospital also has maintained a five-star rating for respiratory failure treatment for the past nine years and diabetic hospitalizations for the past two years. These achievements further affirm Meritus’ status as a premier destination for specialty care and underscore the organization’s longstanding commitment to excellent patient care.

“These rankings, which are based on Medicare data, show just how seriously we take caring for our community at Meritus,” said Carrie Adams, chief operating officer of Meritus Medical Center. “It shows our commitment to providing high-quality specialty care, close to home, through the dedication of our team members across the hospital.”

“To be ranked second in the state for surgical care and among the top 10% in the nation is a testament to the extraordinary skill, teamwork and commitment of our surgical teams,” said Brian McKinnon, M.D., chair of surgery at Meritus Health. “These results reflect the precision, innovation and patient-first mindset that guide every procedure we perform at Meritus Medical Center.”

Meritus’ achievements are based solely on what matters most: patient outcomes. Each year, Healthgrades evaluates risk-adjusted mortality and complication rates for over 30 common conditions and procedures at approximately 4,500 hospitals nationwide to identify the top hospitals in key specialty areas, including surgical care, hip fracture treatment, spinal fusion surgery, respiratory failure treatment, and diabetic hospitalizations. Through easy-to-understand, objective measures of hospital performance, Healthgrades empowers patients with the information they need to find a hospital that excels in their procedure or condition.

As performance gaps persist between the nation’s highest- and lowest-achieving facilities, seeking care at a top program has never been more important. Healthgrades’ 2026 analysis revealed that if all hospitals, as a group, performed similarly to five-star hospitals during the 2022-2024 study period, on average, 230,466 lives could have been saved and 156,797 complications could have been avoided.

“Healthgrades’ specialty awards identify the nation’s top-performing hospitals in key service areas, helping consumers find high quality care tailored to their specific needs,” said Alana Biggers, M.D., MPH, medical advisor at Healthgrades. “We’re proud to recognize Meritus Medical Center for its consistently superior outcomes in key service areas, including surgical care, hip fracture treatment, spinal fusion surgery, respiratory failure treatment, and diabetic hospitalizations.” 

Consumers can visit Healthgrades’ Specialty Excellence Patient Advocate Center to learn more about how Healthgrades identifies the top-performing hospitals for specialty care.

*Statistics are based on Healthgrades analysis of MedPAR data for years 2022 through 2024 and represent three-year estimates for Medicare patients only. Click here to view the complete 2026 Specialty Awards and Ratings Methodology.

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About Meritus Health

Meritus Health, Western Maryland’s largest health care provider, is located at the crossroads of Western Maryland, Southern Pennsylvania and the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. The mission of Meritus Health is to improve the health of the region by providing the best healthcare, health services and medical education. As an anchor organization for the community, Meritus has more than 4,000 employees and serves more than 200,000 residents of the tristate region through Meritus Medical Center, Brook Lane Health Services, Meritus Medical Group, Meritus Home Health, Meritus Equipped for Life, and the Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine. More information can be found at www.MeritusHealth.com or visit our Facebook page or LinkedIn page.

About Healthgrades 

Healthgrades is dedicated to empowering meaningful connections between patients, doctors, and hospitals. As the #1 platform for finding a doctor and a leader in healthcare transparency, we help millions of consumers each month find and schedule appointments with their healthcare professional of choice and prepare for their appointments with best-in-class, treatment-focused content. For over 20 years, our health system, group practice, and life sciences marketing solutions have helped our partners reach and engage consumers on their way to the doctor. Healthgrades is part of RVO Health, a partnership between Red Ventures and Optum, part of UnitedHealth Group. RVO Health has the largest consumer health and wellness audience online across its brand portfolio, including Healthgrades, Healthline, Medical News Today, Greatist, Psych Central and Bezzy, which touch every part of the health and wellness journey. RVO Health helps more than 100 million unique visitors live their strongest and healthiest lives each month.