U.S. News and World Report has named St. Mary’s Health Care System-Athens as a high-performing hospital in five specialty areas in the 2025-2026 Best Hospitals report, released Tuesday, July 29.

St. Mary’s Hospital in Athens was recognized in the specialties of back surgery, heart attack, pacemaker implantation, hip replacement and knee replacement. This year, U.S. News announced 504 Best Regional Hospitals across 49 states and 95 metro areas that have demonstrated superior outcomes. 

“Patient safety, quality and patient experience are our top priorities,” said Stonish Pierce, President and CEO of Trinity Health Georgia, which includes St. Mary’s Hospital. “Being recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a High Performing Hospital for three years in a row reflects the tremendous dedication and commitment of our staff and medical staff to delivering quality care to our patients 24/7/365. Our patients can have confidence that they are in good hands at St. Mary’s.”

U.S. News evaluated more than 4,400 hospitals across 15 adult specialties and 22 procedures and conditions; only 13% of evaluated hospitals earned a Best Hospitals designation. 

“For more than three decades, U.S. News has been an invaluable guide for patients,” said Managing Editor and Chief of Health Analysis Ben Harder at U.S. News. “With a ‘Best Hospital’ recognition, Americans, in consultation with their medical providers, can confidently choose a regional hospital known for providing superior care for their specific illness or condition.”

To determine the Best Hospitals, U.S. News analyzed each hospital’s performance based on objective measures such as risk-adjusted mortality rates, preventable complications and level of nursing care. The Best Hospitals Specialty rankings methodology and Procedures & Conditions ratings methodology measure patient outcomes using data from over 800 million records of patient care. 

For more information, visit Best Hospitals and use #BestHospitals on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X.