June 24, 2025
Denver Health has been recognized by the Lown Institute as one of the most socially responsible hospitals in America, receiving “A” grades in Equity, Value, and Outcomes on the 2025-26 Lown Institute Hospitals Index. Out of more than 3,600 hospitals measured by Lown, fewer than 5 percent achieved honor roll status, with Denver Health ranking among this select group of high performers.
Denver Health ranked No. 1 out of 46 hospitals in Colorado and No. 4 nationally on the social responsibility metric. According to the Index, the hospital also performed well on Lown’s community benefit and inclusivity metrics. These are independent rankings and hospitals do not apply or pay to be listed.
"We are honored to receive an 'A' report card from the Lown Institute, a testament to our unwavering commitment to excellence in patient care," said Read Pierce, MD, Chief Medical Officer. "This recognition reflects the intentional and dedicated efforts of our entire team to train our staff rigorously and implement efficient processes that ensure the highest quality of service for our community. At Denver Health, we believe in being there 'for life's journey' and this accolade underscores our role as the most trusted healthcare provider in Colorado and the Denver metro area. It is through our collective dedication and teamwork that we continue to set the standard for exceptional patient care."
"Hospitals are facing unprecedented political and financial challenges," said Vikas Saini, MD, president of the Lown Institute. "In this uncertain environment, it's more important than ever to support the socially responsible hospitals who are delivering high-quality care to all in their community."
Denver Health received an A grade in the following categories:
- Social responsibility
- Health equity
- Community benefit
- Inclusivity
- Value of carre
- Avoiding overuse
- Patient outcomes
- Clinical outcomes
- Patient safety
The 2025-26 Lown Hospitals Index for Social Responsibility is the only ranking to combine metrics of health equity and value of care alongside patient outcomes, for more than 3,600 U.S. hospitals—offering a holistic view of hospitals as total community partners. Lown’s sixth annual Index evaluates hospitals on over 50 measures, including novel metrics such as community benefit, racial inclusivity and avoidance of overuse. Data sources include Medicare fee-for-service and Medicare Advantage claims, CMS patient safety data and hospital cost reports, and IRS 990 forms, among others. Full methodology can be found on the Lown Index website.
The Lown Institute is an independent think tank advocating bold ideas for a just and caring system for health. Learn more at www.LownHospitalsIndex.org.
