Saint Francis Hospital among best in the nation at serving its patients and community, according to healthcare think tank
(EVANSTON, IL) July 10, 2025 – Saint Francis Hospital, a member of the not-for-profit Prime Healthcare Foundation, has earned “A” grades in six areas on the Lown Institute’s 2025–26 Hospitals Index. Saint Francis’s “A” rated categories are: Social Responsibility, Patient Safety, Health Equity, Community Benefit, Pay Equity, and Inclusivity. Out of more than 3,500 hospitals evaluated nationwide, Saint Francis stands out for its commitment to delivering high-quality, equitable care.
Of note, Evanston’s Saint Francis Hospital is listed by the Lown Institute as #1 in both the U.S. and Illinois for Pay Equity, and among the Top 5 in the State of Illinois for Patient Safety and Health Equity. “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 socially responsible hospitals that are delivering high-quality care to all in their community.”
“I’m so proud of this team that I’m privileged to lead. They continue to maintain their focus each day on delivering quality care to our patients and the communities we serve. The patient always comes first at Saint Francis, without regard to race, income or education – these professionals keep patient safety as their priority,” said Rosenda Barrera, Interim Chief Executive Officer and Chief Nursing Officer at Saint Francis Hospital. “It’s always welcomed when their hard work is recognized by respected institutions like the Lown Institute.”
Saint Francis received “A” grades in the following categories:
• Social Responsibility – a hospital’s overall combined results of equity, value and outcomes
• Patient Safety – how well a hospital avoids preventable patient safety errors
• Health Equity – Cost efficiency and avoidance of low-value care
• Community Benefit – reflects a hospital’s commitment to community health and civic leadership
• Pay Equity – Executive pay ratio compared to non-clinical staff wages
• Inclusivity – Delivery of consistent service across income, race, and education levels
These latest honors follow another recent recognition for Saint Francis for its quality and safety. In May, it earned its third consecutive “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group, an independent national non-profit focused on patient safety. The grade is based on over 30 measures of errors, accidents, injuries and infections, as well as the systems in place to prevent them. Together, these recognitions highlight a strong, sustained commitment to patient-centered, high-quality care.
The 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 2,700 acute care and 800 critical access hospitals nationwide — offering a holistic view of hospitals as total community partners. In the sixth annual rankings, the 2025-26 Lown 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.
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ABOUT SAINT FRANCIS HOSPITAL
Founded in 1900, Saint Francis Hospital in Evanston, IL, a not-for-profit member of the Prime Healthcare Foundation, is a 197-bed teaching facility that offers specialized care alongside 24/7 emergency services, including a Level I Trauma Center. It provides advanced surgical interventions for serious and life-threatening conditions. It also offers expertise in cardiology, oncology, and orthopedics, and an array of minimally invasive procedures including robotic-assisted surgery that often results in same-day discharges and significantly shorter recovery times. Its dedicated care teams prioritize understanding your health needs to deliver the most appropriate care tailored for you.