Minnesota Hospitals Shine On Forbes’ First-ever Top List

When you or someone you love has to make a trip to the hospital, it's important to know that the hospital you're visiting has an excellent reputation.

Forbes has recently released its first list of the Top Hospitals of 2026, and you might be excited to see that some of your favorite central Minnesota Hospitals have made the list.

WHAT HOSPITALS YOU WILL FIND ON THE FORBES 2026 LIST

Only General Acute Care Hospitals were considered in the ratings, so you won't see any specialty hospitals on the list.

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CRITERIA FOR RATINGS

Forbes bases its criteria on a unique rating system, which includes an advisory panel made up of clinicians, health policy researchers, scientists, and patient advocates.

FThe orbes rating system also looks at data that measures things like:

• Patient Experience
• Patient Outcomes
• Hospital Best Practices
• Value

Mortality, survival, infection and readmissions were given the most attention and had the most influence on each hospital's overall rating.

They also considered access to medical services for everyone in their communities.

HERE ARE THIS YEAR'S STAND-OUT MINNESOTA HOSPITALS BY FORBES 

Out of 5400 general acute care hospitals in the United States, 2500 hospitals met the criteria to be considered for the top hospitals, and 253 hospitals received a 5-star rating. 509 hospitals received a 4-star rating, and that made the first-ever Forbes Top Hospitals list for 2026.

1. Buffalo Hospital in Buffalo
5-star rating

2. Essentia Health St. Mary's in Detroit Lakes
5-star rating

3. Essentia Health St. Joseph Medical Center in Brainerd
5 star rating

4. Lake Region Healthcare in Fergus Falls
5-star rating

5. M Health Fairview Southdale Hospital in Edina
5-star rating

6. M Health Fairview St. John's Hospital in Maplewood
5-star rating

7. Mayo Clinic Health System in Albert Lea
5-star rating

8. Mayo Clinic Health System in Fairmont
5-star rating

9. Mayo Clinic in Rochester
5-star rating

10. Olmsted Medical Center in Rochester
5-star rating

11. Sanford Worthington Medical Center in Worthington
5-star rating

12. Avera Marshall Regional Medical Center in Marshall
4-star rating

13. Essentia Health St. Mary's Medical Center in Duluth
4-star rating

14. M Health Fairview Ridges Hospital in Burnsville
4-star rating