St. Elizabeth Healthcare Earns Prestigious CMS 5‑Star Overall Hospital Quality Rating at Three of its Facilities

Northern Kentucky-based system among select few nationwide with three or more locations achieving this recognition

EDGEWOOD, Ky. — St. Elizabeth Healthcare has again earned a 5-Star Overall Hospital Quality Rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), for its Dearborn, Edgewood and Ft. Thomas campuses for 2026.

Regarded as the highest CMS award, the 5-star rating was awarded to only 384 hospitals nationwide. That places Edgewood, Dearborn and Ft. Thomas in the top 12% of hospitals in the country. This achievement positions St. Elizabeth among a small group of health systems nationally with multiple CMS 5‑Star hospitals: it’s one of only 10 similarly sized health systems in the country with three or more CMS 5‑Star facilities.

“Patients and families are paying close attention to quality—and they should,” said Vera Hall, Chief Operating Officer for St. Elizabeth Healthcare. “This 5-star rating reflects the consistency of our care and the dedication of our teams to deliver the best possible outcomes.”

The CMS hospital ratings are utilized as a guide for consumers when it comes to making decisions for their care. The data is also leveraged to determine which hospitals provide the highest level of care for patients — considering measures like patient experience, length of stay, readmissions, safety events and outcomes. Of the more than 3,000 hospitals being reviewed, only 12% earned the prestigious 5-star rating.

The CMS data is widely referenced beyond the federal program itself and is used as a foundational component in other nationally recognized quality and safety rankings, including those from U.S. News & World Report and The Leapfrog Group, further amplifying the significance of the CMS designation.

In 2026, the 5‑Star rating was achieved by only five hospitals in Kentucky, four in Greater Cincinnati, 12 in Indiana, and approximately 384 hospitals nationwide, underscoring the rarity of this recognition.

“This accomplishment reflects years of focused work on quality and safety,” said Dr. James Horn, Chief Clinical Officer, St. Elizabeth Healthcare. “The CMS Star Rating system was established in 2015, and in just the past four years alone, St. Elizabeth has achieved 5‑Star status seven times. That level of sustained performance does not happen by chance; it’s driven by engaged teams who are focused on building a culture that promotes quality.”

Facility highlights

• St. Elizabeth Ft. Thomas achieved a remarkable milestone, rising from its role as the system’s primary COVID‑19 care site during the pandemic to earning CMS 5‑Star recognition in 2026, a testament to resilience, leadership and frontline commitment.

• St. Elizabeth Dearborn has earned CMS 5‑Star recognition three consecutive years, making it one of only 113 hospitals nationwide to achieve that distinction.

• St. Elizabeth Edgewood Hospital has earned CMS 5‑Star recognition three of the past four years, and when combined with its 2025 U.S. News & World Report No. 1 hospital ranking in Kentucky, marks a standout year for the organization’s main campus offering specialized and high-acuity care.

CMS is the federal agency that provides health coverage to more than 160 million people through Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program and the Health Insurance Marketplace. CMS works in partnership with the entire health care community to improve quality, equity and outcomes in the health care system.

Patients and families can explore hospital star ratings and learn more about how CMS evaluates hospital quality here.