Best hospitals for joint replacement: An evidence-based national comparison

Best hospitals for joint replacement are identified through several types of evidence rather than a single universal ranking. Published data in the supplied research includes specialty rankings, Healthgrades outcome distinctions, Joint Commission certifications, patient-experience awards, and descriptions of hip, knee, shoulder, and revision services. 1

How hospitals are compared

Hospital comparisons commonly examine clinical outcomes, safety, patient experience, and the depth of specialty services. Newsweek’s 2026 specialized-care methodology evaluated hospitals using a nationwide survey of medical professionals and hospital managers, patient-experience data, patient-reported outcomes, and specialty-specific safety and quality measures. These categories provide context, but they do not determine which hospital is appropriate for every patient or diagnosis. 1

Healthgrades uses a different approach for orthopedic surgery. Its Orthopedic Surgery Excellence Award recognizes hospitals delivering superior outcomes in areas including hip replacement and total knee replacement, while its procedure ratings classify performance as better than expected, as expected, or worse than expected after evaluating risk-adjusted mortality and complication rates. The distinction between methodologies makes direct ranking comparisons difficult. 210

Hospital for Special Surgery in New York

Hospital for Special Surgery, commonly known as HSS, was named No. 1 in orthopedics in Newsweek’s America’s Best Hospitals for Specialized Care 2026 ranking. The hospital was also recognized nationally for neurological care, and Lerner Children’s Pavilion was included among America’s Best Children’s Hospitals for pediatric orthopedics. The ranking describes HSS as a highly specialized orthopedic institution rather than a general hospital comparison. 1

HSS’s relevance to joint replacement comes from its orthopedic focus and its broader treatment of complex musculoskeletal conditions. Patients assessing a highly specialized center still need to examine the surgeon’s experience with the specific joint, the proposed implant and technique, revision capabilities, rehabilitation arrangements, and practical factors such as travel and insurance coverage. A specialty ranking is useful evidence, but it is not a personal treatment recommendation. 1

Healthgrades-recognized orthopedic hospitals

Healthgrades’ 2026 Specialty Excellence Awards identified 100 hospitals for orthopedic surgery. The award methodology covers back and neck surgery, spinal fusion, hip fracture treatment, hip replacement, and total knee replacement. The supplied list includes hospitals across multiple states, with Florida accounting for 26 of the listed hospitals, the largest state representation in that report. Geographic concentration does not by itself establish superior care for an individual patient. 2

Examples in the published list include Jack Hughston Memorial Hospital in Alabama; numerous California hospitals such as Eisenhower Medical Center and Torrance Memorial Medical Center; and Colorado facilities including HCA HealthONE Swedish and HCA HealthONE SKY Ridge. The list is an orthopedic-surgery distinction, not a claim that every hospital performs equally well for every joint replacement, patient risk profile, or surgical complexity. 2

Programs with specific joint-replacement evidence

Northwell Health reported that Long Island Jewish Medical Center, including its Valley Stream and Forest Hills components, ranked No. 2 in New York State for joint replacement and joined North Shore University Hospital and Syosset Hospital as an America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Joint Replacement recipient from Healthgrades. The recognition was tied to clinical outcomes and care quality in knee and hip replacement surgery. 6

Other program-level examples include Mather Hospital, whose total hip and knee replacement program is Joint Commission-certified and whose patient-experience record received six consecutive Healthgrades Outstanding Patient Experience Awards from 2021 through 2026. White Plains Hospital received Healthgrades five-star ratings for total knee and total hip replacement, based on risk-adjusted mortality and complication evaluations. These distinctions should be reviewed alongside current procedure-specific data. 510

Regional and specialty hospitals

UF Health Shands Hospital states that it is rated by U.S. News & World Report as one of the nation’s top hospitals for knee joint replacement. Its patient education material describes total knee replacement as removal of damaged cartilage and bone followed by placement of artificial components involving the femur, tibia, and, when appropriate, the patella. The information illustrates why diagnosis and anatomy matter when comparing hospitals. 3

LMH Health OrthoKansas provides a total joint program covering hip, knee, shoulder, and ankle replacement. It has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for Advanced Total Hip and Knee Replacement Certification in collaboration with the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Baylor Scott & White Orthopedic and Spine Hospital in Arlington describes a 38-bed facility dedicated to orthopedic and spine care, with hip, knee, and shoulder replacement services. 47

Technology, recovery, and practical risks

Technology can be part of a program’s care model, but its presence should not be treated as proof of better outcomes. Temecula Valley Hospital reports use of the ROSA robotic knee system, which uses preoperative X-rays, a three-dimensional knee model, cameras, and trackers to assist the surgeon with implant positioning. Baylor Scott & White Arlington also reports robotic-assisted technology for selected hip and knee replacements. Individual results may vary. 87

Joint replacement involves ongoing recovery, rehabilitation, follow-up, and possible management of complications or revision surgery. Before selecting a hospital, patients should verify surgeon volume for the relevant procedure, infection and complication measures, readmissions, postoperative physical therapy, prehabilitation, implant follow-up, and revision expertise. Medicare Care Compare and Healthgrades provide comparison information, while the American Joint Replacement Registry supports quality improvement and outcome measurement for hip and knee procedures. 111213

Sources

1. Hospital for Special Surgery, news.hss.edu
2. Becker’s Spine Review, Healthgrades 2026 orthopedic surgery list
3. UF Health, Knee Joint Replacement
4. LMH Health OrthoKansas, Total Joint Replacement
5. Mather Hospital, Total Joint Replacement
6. Northwell Health, orthopedic Healthgrades honors
7. Baylor Scott & White Orthopedic and Spine Hospital Arlington, Joint Replacement
8. Temecula Valley Hospital, Orthopedics
9. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Medicare Care Compare
10. White Plains Hospital, Healthgrades orthopedic services recognition
11. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Total Joint Replacement
12. Healthgrades, hospitals for joint replacement
13. American Joint Replacement Registry