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Mayo Clinic Health System

About Mayo Clinic Health System

Mayo Clinic Health System Quality & Safety Recognitions

Mayo Clinic Health System defines quality as a comprehensive look at all aspects of a patient's experience. We are proud of our staff for being top ranked and rated high in many quality and safety endorsements. These endorsements reinforce our commitment to provide the highest quality care to each patient every day.

Although no single set of measures can perfectly represent healthcare quality, we are proud to be recognized for:

Get details about these awards specific to Mayo Clinic Health System locations in our Press Room.

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)

Overall Hospital Quality Star Rating

The star rating provides patients with information on quality, including mortality, safety of care, readmission, patient experience, and timely and effective care. CMS uses a star rating for consumers to choose highly rated hospitals and other providers in their area. Notably, the national average stands at a 3-star rating, while a 5-star rating is the highest.

Our hospitals earning high ratings include:

Five stars

Four stars

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Chartis Top Performing Rural Hospitals

Several Mayo Clinic Health System hospitals were recently recognized by the Chartis Center for Rural Health. Based on the results of the Chartis Rural Hospital Performance INDEX, these annual recognitions honor outstanding performance among the nation's rural hospitals. Leveraging publicly available data, the INDEX is trusted by rural hospitals, health systems with rural affiliates, hospital associations and state offices of rural health across the country to measure and monitor performance across various areas impacting hospital operations and finance.

2024 Top 100 Rural & Community Hospitals:

  • Fairmont, Minnesota
  • Red Wing, Minnesota

2024 Top 100 Critical Access Hospitals:

  • Barron, Wisconsin
  • Menomonie, Wisconsin
  • Waseca, Minnesota

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Healthgrades

Healthgrades analyzes patient outcome data from more than 45 million Medicare medical claims records to evaluate hospital performance. It also incorporates Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, as well as all-payer patient outcome data from states that make such data publicly available.

  • Eau Claire, Wisconsin:  In 2025, Eau Claire was one of only 40 hospitals nationwide to receive the Outstanding Patient Experience Award and be included in America's 100 Best Hospitals from Healthgrades. View all Eau Claire quality awards from Healthgrades.
  • La Crosse, Wisconsin: In 2025, La Crosse received the Outstanding Patient Experience Award from Healthgrades. View all La Crosse quality awards from Healthgrades.
  • Mankato, Minnesota: In 2025, Mankato was one of only 10 hospitals nationwide to receive all three distinctions from Healthgrades: Outstanding Patient Experience, Patient Safety Excellence, and inclusion in America's 50 Best Hospitals. View all Mankato quality awards from Healthgrades.

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Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade

Hospitals receive a letter grade rating based on collected, analyzed and published hospital data on safety and quality to help patients determine how safe hospitals are. These Mayo Clinic Health System hospitals meet the requirements for eligibility in the Leapfrog Group's Hospital Safety Score and earned "A" grades, the best possible, for patient safety:

  • Albert Lea and Austin, Minnesota
  • Eau Claire, Wisconsin
  • Fairmont, Minnesota
  • La Crosse, Wisconsin
  • Mankato, Minnesota

Mayo Clinic Health System in Red Wing, Minnesota earned a "B" grade. 

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Minnesota Department of Health Continuous Impact Award

The Minnesota Department of Health Continuous Impact Award aims to recognize and highlight successful quality improvement initiatives throughout the state of Minnesota's hospital-based stroke programs. These Mayo Clinic Health System locations made the list:

  • Albert Lea, Minnesota: Recognized for long-term improvements in the quality of stroke care
  • Austin, Minnesota: Recognized for long-term improvements in the quality of stroke care
  • Cannon Falls, Minnesota: Recognized for long-term improvements in the quality of stroke care
  • Lake City, Minnesota: Recognized for long-term improvements in the quality of stroke care
  • Red Wing, Minnesota: Recognized for long-term improvements in the quality of stroke care

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Minnesota Hospital Association Clinical and Quality Innovation Award

The Clinical and Quality Innovation Award from the Minnesota Hospital Association is given to healthcare organizations and professionals in Minnesota who demonstrate excellence and innovation in clinical care and quality improvement initiatives. The award recognizes efforts that enhance patient care, improve outcomes and advance healthcare delivery practices.

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Newsweek World's Best Hospitals

Newsweek World's Best Hospitals ranking is based on patient satisfaction survey results; hospital recommendations from peers and key performance metrics, such as patient safety, hygiene measures and quality of care; as well as their consistent excellence, including distinguished physicians, top-notch nursing care and state-of-the-art technology. These Mayo Clinic Health System locations made the list:

  • Albert Lea and Austin, Minnesota and La Crosse, Wisconsin: Ranked among the top 5% of hospitals in the U.S.
  • Eau Claire, Wisconsin: Ranked No. 70 and among the top 2% of hospitals in the U.S., receiving an above-average rating for infection prevention measures

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The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program

The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program praises a select group of hospitals for achieving a commendable composite score in either an "All Cases" category or a category which includes only "High Risk" cases, based on outstanding quality scores in eight areas of surgical care. These Mayo Clinic Health System locations made the list:

  • Eau Claire, Wisconsin: Recognized on the "All Cases" list
  • La Crosse, Wisconsin: Recognized on the "High Risk" cases list

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University of Wisconsin Award of Hope and Excellence in Tissue Donation Award

Award of Hope in gold, bronze or silver recognizes the comprehensive work of hospitals that achieve or exceed the percent of medically eligible donors that become actual donors and organs transplanted per donor. The Excellence in Tissue Donation Award is given to hospitals for the collaborative work between hospital staff and the tissue bank in coordinating communication around tissue consent conversations. These Mayo Clinic Health System locations made the list:

  • Eau Claire, Wisconsin: Gold Award of Hope + Excellence in Tissue Donation Award
  • La Crosse, Wisconsin: Excellence in Tissue Donation Award

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U.S. News & World Report

U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals rankings and ratings are measured on factors such as survival, experience, nurse staffing, advance technology, patient services, and reputation with other specialists. These Mayo Clinic Health System locations made the list:

  • Albert Lea and Austin, Minnesota: Nationally recognized as High Performing in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonology Disease and Pneumonia.
  • Eau Claire, Wisconsin: Recognized as a "Best Regional Hospital" in Northwestern Wisconsin and nationally recognized as High Performing in Congestive Heart Failure, Diabetes, Pneumonia, Renal Failure, Total Hip Arthroplasty and Total Knee Arthroplasty.
  • Fairmont, Minnesota: Rated as High Performing in Pneumonia.
  • La Crosse, Wisconsin: Rated as High Performing in Acute Myocardial Infarction, Congestive Heart Failure and Pneumonia.
  • Mankato, Minnesota: Recognized as a "Best Regional Hospital" in Southwestern Minnesota and nationally recognized as High Performing in Acute Myocardial Infarction, Congestive Heart Failure, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Colon Cancer Surgery, Diabetes, Pneumonia and Renal Failure.

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U.S. News & World Report Best Maternity Hospitals

U.S. News & World Report Best Maternity Hospitals ratings evaluate hospital birth centers on early deliveries, C-section rates in low-risk women, newborn complications, rate of exclusive breast milk feeding and option for vaginal births after cesarean. This Mayo Clinic Health System location made the list:

  • La Crosse, Wisconsin: Rated high-performing in maternity care
  • Mankato, Minnesota: Rated high-performing in maternity care

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Vizient Bernard A. Birnbaum, MD, Quality Leadership Award

Vizient rankings measure clinical quality of patient care for mortality, efficiency, effectiveness, patient centeredness, safety and equity. These Mayo Clinic Health System locations made the list in 2023:

  • Eau Claire, Wisconsin, ranked No. 6, among 154 complex care medical centers.
  • Red Wing, Minnesota, ranked No. 8,  among 333 community hospitals.

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