UConn John Dempsey Hospital named among nation's top hospitals for patient experience by Healthgrades.
UConn John Dempsey Hospital (Tina Encarnacion/ UConn Health photo)
UConn John Dempsey Hospital has been named a recipient of the 2026 Outstanding Patient Experience Award™ from Healthgrades, placing the hospital among the top 15% of hospitals nationwide for patient experience and making it the only hospital in Connecticut to receive the distinction this year.
The award recognizes hospitals that excel in delivering compassionate, patient-centered care while earning high marks from patients on their overall hospital experience. Healthgrades evaluated patient survey data from nearly 4,000 hospitals nationwide as part of its 2026 analysis.
For UConn John Dempsey Hospital, the recognition marks the fourth consecutive year earning the Outstanding Patient Experience Award™.
"It's an amazing honor and a testament to the kindness, compassion, and dedication our employees bring to every patient interaction," said Dr. Andy Agwunobi, CEO UConn John Health. "This recognition reflects the extraordinary commitment of our teams to providing not only exceptional clinical care, but also an experience that makes patients and families feel supported, respected, and cared for."
Healthgrades evaluates hospitals using Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey data collected by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Measures include patients' perceptions of staff communication, responsiveness, medication explanations, cleanliness, discharge information, and overall hospital experience.
"This recognition reflects the compassion and dedication our teams bring to patients and families every day," said Caryl Ryan, chief operating officer and chief nursing officer, UConn John Dempsey Hospital. "We are incredibly proud of the care our employees provide and the experience they create for every patient."
"This award highlights the teamwork and exceptional patient-centered care delivered by staff and care team members across all levels of the hospital," said Dr. Scott Allen, chief medical officer, UConn Health. "Providing an outstanding patient experience is central to everything we do."
The recognition highlights the collective efforts of employees across UConn Health to continuously improve the patient and family experience.
"What an incredible achievement for UConn Health and a true reflection of the compassion, dedication, and teamwork demonstrated across our organization every day," said Yarelis Wilson, director, Patient Experience, UConn John Dempsey Hospital. "Being recognized as the only hospital in Connecticut to receive this award highlights the efforts of every team member who contributes to the care and experience of our patients and families."
According to Healthgrades, hospitals recognized with the Outstanding Patient Experience Award™ consistently deliver experiences that help patients feel informed, supported, and confident in their care.
For the 2026 awards, Healthgrades evaluated more than 3,000 hospitals that submitted at least 100 patient experience surveys to CMS, covering admissions from January through December 2024. Hospitals in the bottom 20% for overall clinical quality were excluded from consideration.
