Wednesday, February 11, 2026

North Carolina Hospitals with Five-Star CMS Patient Survey Ratings

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) periodically runs research surveys to measure patient opinions on recent inpatient stays at hospitals that treat Medicaid and Medicare enrollees.  The CMS methodology involves questioning individuals about their recent inpatient hospital stays at participating hospitals, then aggregating that information into a single, all-encompassing patient satisfaction rating on a one to five-star scale, with 5 stars being the scale's best score.  As of February 4, 2026, only three North Carolina hospitals earned a five-star patient survey rating, and one of those was a VA hospital that doesn't serve the general public.  Excluding the VA hospital, no hospitals in the state that  earned five-stars from patients also rated as a Five-Star Quality Hospital in separate CMS quality-of-care studies.  From patient satisfaction surveys conducted by the CMS, these were the three hospitals in North Carolina that rated as five-stars for patient experience (alphabetically listed):

North Carolina Hospitals with Five-Star CMS Patient Survey Ratings

Sunday, February 8, 2026

Georgia Hospitals Rated Five-Star in CMS Patient Surveys

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) conducts patient surveys to gauge adult patient satisfaction with recent inpatient stays at hospitals that treat Medicare and Medicaid participants. The CMS survey involves collecting patient responses to questions about their hospital stay, then standardizing that information into a single, overall patient satisfaction rating on a 1 to 5-star scale, with 5-stars being the top grade on the scale.  As of February 4, 2026, only five Georgia hospitals earned a five-star patient survey rating.  This included one hospital - AdventHealth Murray in Chatsworth - that also rated as a Five-Star Quality Hospital in separate CMS studies on the quality of care delivered.  Based on CMS patient satisfaction surveys, these were the five hospitals in Georgia that rated as five-stars for patient experience (alphabetically listed):

Georgia Hospitals Rated Five-Star in CMS Patient Surveys

  1. AdventHealth Murray
    Location:  Chatsworth
    View Rating Details

  2. Eisenhower Army Medical Center
    Location:  Fort Gordon
    View Rating Details

  3. Higgins General Hospital
    Location:  Bremen
  4. Southeastern Regional Medical Center
    (doing business as City of Hope Cancer Center Atlanta)
    Location:  Newnan

Thursday, February 5, 2026

Illinois Hospitals with Five-Star CMS Patient Survey Ratings

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) periodically conducts patient surveys to measure adult patient perspectives on recent hospital stays at hospitals that treat Medicare and Medicaid enrollees. The methodology used by CMS involves gathering patient responses to questions about their recent inpatient hospital stays, then consolidating that information into a single, all-encompassing patient satisfaction rating on a 1 to 5-star scale, with five stars being the best score on the scale.  As of February 2, 2026, only seven Illinois hospitals earned a five-star patient survey rating.  Interestingly, only one hospital in the state - Crawford Memorial in Robinson - that rated five-stars for patient satisfaction also rated as a Five-Star Quality Hospital in separate CMS studies that focused on the quality of care delivered.  From CMS patient satisfaction surveys, these were the seven hospitals in Illinois that rated as five-stars for patient experience (alphabetically listed):

Illinois Hospitals with Five-Star CMS Patient Survey Ratings

Tuesday, February 3, 2026

Nursing Assistant Pay in the Great Lakes Region

There were over 1,388,000 nursing assistants employed in the USA according to recently published May 2024 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Approximately 226,000 of those employed as nursing assistants lived in the five-state Great Lakes region of the country.  Annual mean wages for nursing assistants in the region ran slightly below the national average, except in Illinois and Wisconsin.  BLS data from May 2024 reveals the following about nursing assistant pay in the Great Lakes region of the U.S.:

Nursing Assistant Pay in the Great Lakes Region


Nursing Assistant Pay in the Great Lakes Region

State # Employed Annual Mean Wages Wage Rank*
IL 64,660 $43,950 16th
IN 31,240 $38,610 33rd
MI 40,230 $40,210 28th
OH 62,360 $39,840 31st
WI 27,480 $43,050 20th
U.S. 1,388,510 $41,173 -------

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on February 3, 2026

Monday, February 2, 2026

Two New York Hospitals Rated Five-Star in CMS Patient Surveys

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) conducts periodic patient surveys to measure adult patient perspectives on recent inpatient stays at hospitals that treat Medicare and Medicaid enrollees. The CMS survey gathers responses to questions about various patient experiences during an inpatient hospital stay, then consolidates that information into a single, overall patient satisfaction rating on a 1 to 5-star scale, with 5-stars being the top of the scale.  While ten acute care hospitals placed on the list of CMS Five-Star Quality Hospitals in New York, not a single one of those 5-star quality hospitals earned five-star marks from patients.   As of January 31, 2026, only two hospitals, both in upstate New York, rated as 5 stars in CMS patient surveys:

Two New York Hospitals Rated Five-Star in CMS Patient Surveys

Friday, January 30, 2026

MRI Technologist Pay in the Far Western U.S.

An estimated 41,560 MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) technologists were working in the U.S. as of May 2024 according to the most recent occupational employment figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).  The six-state Far Western U.S. accounted for nearly 5,200 MRI technologist jobs at that time, or about 13% of the national total.  BLS data revealed the Far West to be far and away the best region in the nation for MRI technologist pay, as nearly every state in the region ranked among the top six states in the country for MRI technologist annual mean wages.  Further examination of May 2024 state-level BLS data provides the following details about MRI technologist pay in the Far Western U.S.:

MRI Technologist Pay in the Far Western U.S.

MRI Technologist Pay in the Far Western U.S.

State # Employed Annual Mean Wages Wage Rank*
AK 80 $106,890 6th
CA 3,220 $118,470 1st
HI 130 $113,150 3rd
NV 410 $96,550 17th
OR 430 $111,350 4th
WA 930 $113,750 2nd
U.S. 41,560 $89,999 -------

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data accessed on January 30, 2026

Thursday, January 29, 2026

Physical Therapy Assistant Pay in the Rocky Mountain Region

The latest occupational employment data available from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported there being nearly 249,000 physical therapy (PT) assistants at work in the United States as of May 2024.  Only about 10,670 of those PT assistants worked in the five-state Rocky Mountain region. According to BLS data, the region stands out as one of the most uneven nationally for physical therapy assistant pay. While two states in the region had an annual mean wage for PT assistants that beat the national average, two other Rocky Mountain states ranked among the ten lowest nationwide.  Diving deeper into BLS data from May 2024 produces the following details about physical therapy assistant pay in the Rocky Mountain region:

Physical Therapy Assistant Pay in the Rocky Mountain Region

Physical Therapy Assistant Pay in the Rocky Mountain Region


State # Employed Annual Mean Wages Wage Rank*
CO 5430 $100,430 20th
ID 1170 $93,470 45th
MT 1230 $91,290 49th
UT 2330 $96,920 33rd
WY 510 $100,100 21st
U.S. 248,620 $99,913 -------

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on January 29, 2026

Wednesday, January 28, 2026

Nursing Assistant Pay in the Southwestern U.S.

Over 1,388,000 nursing assistants were employed in the U.S. as of May 2024 according to data recently released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Approximately 128,860 employed nursing assistants lived in the four-state Southwestern region of the country.  Generally speaking, the region is a poor one for nursing assistant pay, with three states in the region having a nursing assistant annual mean wage level that was below the national average.  This included two states, Oklahoma and Texas, that ranked among the ten worst states in the nation for nursing assistant annual mean wages.   A closer look at BLS data from May 2024 reveals the following about nursing assistant pay in the Southwestern U.S.:

Nursing Assistant Pay in the Southwestern U.S.

Nursing Assistant Pay in the Southwestern U.S.

State # Employed Annual Mean Wages Wage Rank*
AZ 17,350 $43,060 19th
NM 4,600 $38,320 36th
OK 19,860 $34,900 47th
TX 87,050 $37,010 44th
U.S. 1,388,510 $41,173 -------

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on January, 28, 2026

Sunday, January 25, 2026

Texas Acute Care Hospitals with Five-Star CMS Patient Survey Ratings

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) periodically conducts patient surveys to measure adult patient perspectives on recent hospital stays at acute care hospitals that treat Medicare and Medicaid participants. The CMS methodology involves collecting patient responses to questions about their hospital stay experience, then aggregating that information into a single, overall patient satisfaction rating on a 1 to 5-star scale, with 5-stars being the top of the scale.  As of January 25, 2026, only 15 Texas acute care hospitals earned a five-star patient survey rating.  Interestingly, only two hospitals that rated five-stars for patient satisfaction also rated as a Five-Star Quality Acute Care Hospital in Texas in CMS studies of the quality of care delivered.  Based on CMS patient satisfaction surveys, these were the 15 acute care hospitals in Texas that rated as five-stars for patient experience (alphabetically listed):

Texas Acute Care Hospitals with Five-Star CMS Patient Survey Ratings

Thursday, January 15, 2026

The Southeast's Top Rehabilitation Hospitals

The 25-26 U.S. News & World Report survey of American hospitals rated more than 1,000 hospitals for their effectiveness in delivering rehabilitation services to individuals recovering from severe afflictions.  The study analyzed hospitals on various metrics, ranging from the medical outcomes for their rehabilitation patients to the scope of their rehabilitation programs to the amount of professional recognition attained by a hospital from within the rehabilitation services community.  Although no hospitals in the region ranked among the top 10 nationally, nine hospitals rated among the 50 best U.S. hospitals for rehabilitation care in the 25-26 survey.  The Southeast's top rehabilitation hospitals, and where they ranked nationally for rehabilitation care in the 25-26 U.S. News survey, were:

The Southeast's Top Rehabilitation Hospitals

The Southeast's Top Rehabilitation Hospitals

Location:  Charlotte, NC
National Rank:  #12 (See ranking details)

Location:  Atlanta, GA
National Rank:  #13 (See ranking details)

Location:  Jacksonville, FL
National Rank:  #19 (See ranking details)

Sheltering Arms Institute
Location:  Richmond, VA
National Rank:  #27 (See ranking details)

Location:  Miami, FL
National Rank:  #28 (See ranking details)

WakeMed Rehabilitation Hospital
Location:  Raleigh, NC
National Rank:  #29 (See ranking details)

Location:  Charleston, SC
National Rank:  #39 (See ranking details)

Location:  Louisville, Kentucky
National Rank:  #40 (See ranking details)

Location:  Chapel Hill, NC
National Rank:  #46 (See ranking details)

For a more thorough look at the metrics used to grade rehabilitation hospitals in the 25-26 U.S. News survey, or to find the rehabilitation care rating of other Southeastern hospitals, visit Best Hospitals for Rehabilitation.

Monday, January 12, 2026

Top Rehabilitation Hospitals in the Mid-Eastern U.S.

The 25-26 U.S. News & World Report hospital survey ranked in excess of 1,000 hospitals for their capabilities in delivering rehabilitation care to individuals recovering from severe injuries or illnesses.  The survey graded hospitals on various metrics ranging from rehabilitation care patient outcomes to the scale of a hospital's rehabilitation services to the level of recognition garnered by a hospital within the rehabilitation services community.  The Mid-Eastern U.S., a region that includes five states and the District of Columbia, was home to twelve hospitals that rated among the 50 best U.S. hospitals for rehabilitation care in the 25-26 survey.  No other region of the country had as many top 50 rehabilitation hospitals as did the Mid-Eastern U.S.  This included four hospitals that ranked among the ten best hospitals in the U.S. for rehabilitation care.  The top rehabilitation hospitals in the Mid-Eastern U.S., and where they ranked nationally in the 25-26 U.S. News survey, were:

Top Rehabilitation Hospitals in the Mid-Eastern U.S

Top Rehabilitation Hospitals in the Mid-Eastern U.S

Location:  West Orange, NJ
National Rank:  #4 (See ranking details)

Location:  New York, NY
National Rank:  #5 (See ranking details)

Location:  Elkins Park, PA
National Rank:  #10 (See ranking details)


UPMC Mercy Rehabilitation
Location:  Pittsburgh, PA
National Rank:  #14 (See ranking details)

Location:  Glen Cove, NY
National Rank:  #18 (See ranking details)

Location:  New York, NY
National Rank:  #21 (See ranking details)

Location:  Baltimore, MD
National Rank:  #24 (See ranking details)

Location:  Washington, DC
National Rank:  #30 (See ranking details)

Location:  Edison, NJ
National Rank:  #33 (See ranking details)

Burke Rehabilitation Hospital
Location:  White Plains, NY
National Rank:  #42 (See ranking details)

Location:  Hummelstown, PA
National Rank:  #47 (See ranking details)

For a more thorough look at the metrics used to score rehabilitation hospitals in the 25-26 U.S. News survey, or to find the rehabilitation care rating of other Mid-Eastern U.S. hospitals, visit Best Hospitals for Rehabilitation.

Friday, January 9, 2026

Top Rehabilitation Hospitals in the Far West

The 25-26 U.S. News & World Report hospital survey ranked more than 1,000 hospitals for their capabilities in delivering rehabilitation services to patients recovering from severe illnesses or injuries.  The survey ranked hospitals on various metrics related to the outcomes for their rehabilitation patients, the scale of their rehabilitation services, and the level of recognition garnered by a hospital from professionals within the rehabilitation care community.  Nine hospitals in the six-state Far West U.S. were rated among the top 50 U.S. hospitals for rehabilitation care in the 25-26 survey, including the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, which was rated the seventh-best rehabilitation hospital in the nation.  The top rehabilitation hospitals in the Far West, and where they ranked nationally in the 25-26 U.S. News survey, were:

Top Rehabilitation Hospitals in the Far West

Top Rehabilitation Hospitals in the Far West

Location:  Seattle, WA
National Rank:  #15 (See ranking details)

Location:  Downey, CA
National Rank:  #23 (See ranking details)

California Rehabilitation Institute
Location:  Los Angeles
National Rank:  #24 (see ranking details)

Location:  Vallejo, CA
National Rank:  #38 (See ranking details)

Harborview Medical Center
Location:  Seattle, WA
National Rank:  #44 (See ranking details)

National Rank:  #48 (see ranking details)

Providence St. Jude Medical Center
Location:  Fullerton, CA
National Rank:  #50 (see ranking details)

Location:  Portland, OR
National Rank:  #50 (See ranking details)

For a more thorough look at the metrics used to score rehabilitation hospitals in the 25-26 U.S. News survey, or to find the rehabilitation care rating of other Far West hospitals, visit Best Hospitals for Rehabilitation.

Tuesday, January 6, 2026

The Rocky Mountain Region's Top Rehabilitation Hospitals

The latest (25-26) U.S. News & World Report survey of American hospitals graded over 1,000 hospitals for their capabilities in delivering rehabilitation services to patients recovering from severe illnesses or injuries.  The study graded these hospitals on multiple metrics related to the medical outcomes for their rehabilitation patients, the scale and scope of their rehabilitation programs, and the level of professional recognition a hospital received from the wider rehabilitation care community.  Two hospitals in the five-state Rocky Mountain ranked among the 50 best U.S. hospitals for rehabilitation care in the 25-26 survey.  The Rocky Mountain region's top rehabilitation hospitals, and where they ranked for rehabilitation care nationally in the 25-26 USNWR survey, were:

The Rocky Mountain Region's Top Rehabilitation Hospitals

The Rocky Mountain Region's Top Rehabilitation Hospitals



Location:  Englewood, CO
National Rank:  #8 (See ranking details)

Location:  Salt Lake City, UT
National Rank:  #34 (See ranking details)

For a deeper examination of the metrics used to grade rehabilitation hospitals in the 25-26 U.S. News survey, or to find the rehabilitation care rating of other Rocky Mountain region hospitals, visit Best Hospitals for Rehabilitation.

Saturday, January 3, 2026

New England's Top Rehabilitation Hospital

The 25-26 U.S. News & World Report survey of American hospitals graded more than 1,000 hospitals for their capabilities to provide rehabilitation services to patients recovering from severe illnesses or injuries.  The study graded hospitals on multiple metrics related to the outcomes for their rehabilitation patients, the scale of their rehabilitation programs, and the amount of recognition garnered by a hospital from within the rehabilitation care community.  Only one hospital, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, in the six-state New England region graded out as a top 50 rehabilitation hospital in the 25-26 U.S. News survey.  That said, Spaulding is one of the preeminent rehabilitation hospitals in the nation, grading out in the survey as the 2nd best hospital in the country for rehabilitation care:

New England's Top Rehabilitation Hospital


New England's Top Rehabilitation Hospital

Location:  Boston, MA
National Rank:  #2 (See ranking details)

For a closer look at the metrics used to score rehabilitation hospitals in the 25-26 U.S. News survey, or to find the rehabilitation care rating of other New England hospitals, visit Best Hospitals for Rehabilitation.

Friday, January 2, 2026

Optometrist Pay in the Rocky Mountain Region

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' (BLS) most recent occupational employment data reported over 40,000 optometrists at work in the U.S. as of May 2024. At that time, 920 optometrists were at work in the five-state Rocky Mountain region. BLS data shows the region to be a weak one for optometrist pay, with only one state in the region recording an annual mean wage level for optometrists that topped the national average. Moreover, three Rocky Mountain states rated in the bottom third of all states in the nation for that pay metric, including two that ranked among the ten worst in the nation for optometrist annual mean wage levels. Colorado’s 2024 optometrist employment and wage data were not available due to an issue in BLS reporting. A deeper examination of BLS data from May 2024 details the following about optometrist pay in the Rocky Mountain region:

Optometrist Pay in the Rocky Mountain Region

Optometrist Pay in the Rocky Mountain Region



State # Employed Annual Mean Wages Wage Rank*
CO N/A N/A N/A
ID 270 $88,350 49th
MT 150 $114,630 47th
UT 90 $120,880 45th
WY 410 $140,770 21st
U.S. 40,900 $137,190 -------

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on January 2, 2026