WINSTON-SALEM, N.C., Aug. 4, 2026 - Atrium Health hospitals earned widespread recognition in U.S. News & World Report's 2026-2027 Best Hospitals rankings, highlighting the organization's commitment to delivering high-quality care and exceptional clinical outcomes across North Carolina and Georgia.

Atrium Health has three of the top five hospitals in the Charlotte metropolitan area, with Carolinas Medical Center once again named the top hospital, followed by Atrium Health Cabarrus at No. 2 and Atrium Health Pineville at No. 5. In the Greensboro/Winston-Salem metro area, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist earned the No. 2 spot.

Additionally, five Atrium Health hospitals ranked among the Top 20 in North Carolina and Georgia:

• No. 2 in North Carolina - Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte
• Tied at No. 6 in North Carolina - Atrium Health Cabarrus in Concord
• Tied at No. 13 in North Carolina - Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist in Winston-Salem
• Tied at No. 17 in North Carolina - Atrium Health Pineville in Charlotte
• Tied at No. 17 in Georgia - Atrium Health Navicent The Medical Center in Macon

"Our teammates' dedication to delivering exceptional care and improving outcomes for all is what makes recognitions like these possible," said Steve Smoot, president of the North Carolina and Georgia Division of Advocate Health, of which Atrium Health is a part. "We are incredibly proud to see our hospitals and specialty programs recognized among the best in the nation, and we remain focused on meeting the needs of our patients and communities who count on us."

Atrium Health hospitals also earned significant recognition for specialty care, receiving a combined 70 high performing ratings for procedures and conditions, as well three Top 50 national rankings for Rehabilitation (No. 18), Cardiology, Heart & Vascular (No. 26) and Orthopedics (No. 47).

New this year, U.S. News introduced local specialty rankings for cardiology, orthopedics, rehabilitation and cancer care, helping patients identify leading specialty programs close to home. Atrium Health hospitals earned significant statewide recognition:

• Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center
  No. 1 in Cardiology
  No. 3 in Cancer
  No. 1 in Orthopedics
• Atrium Health Carolinas Rehabilitation
  No. 1 in Rehabilitation
• Atrium Health Pineville
  No. 7 in Rehabilitation
• Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist
  No. 11 in Rehabilitation

"The recognition of Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center as the No. 1 cardiovascular program in North Carolina, and among the nation's best, reflects the exceptional talent and dedication of our care teams," said Dr. Troy Leo, vice president of the Heart and Vascular Service Line for Advocate Health's North Carolina and Georgia Division. "At Atrium Health Sanger Heart and Vascular Institute, we remain focused on advancing cardiovascular innovation, expanding access to world-class care and helping patients across the Southeast and beyond achieve the best possible outcomes."

Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center also earned the top spot in the state for orthopedics.

"This honor reinforces our commitment to advancing care and truly is a testament to the incredible skill of our care teams," said Dr. Claude Moorman, president of Atrium Health's Musculoskeletal Institute. "Every day, they deliver innovative, high-quality care that helps patients regain mobility, restore function and get back to what they love."

In addition to ranking No. 1 in the state for rehabilitation, Atrium Health Carolinas Rehabilitation tied for No. 18 nationally.

"The rankings are a meaningful acknowledgment of the expertise, innovation and compassionate care that defines Atrium Health Carolinas Rehabilitation," said Atrium Health Carolinas Rehabilitation hospital president Robert Larrison Jr. "This would not be possible without our dedicated physicians, nurses, therapists, pharmacists and support professionals, who remain focused on helping patients regain independence and achieve their highest level of recovery."

Atrium Health hospitals contributed substantially to Advocate Health's combined 204 high-performing ratings for procedures and conditions and 19 high-performing specialty designations, signifying top-decile performance nationally.

For the 2026-2027 rankings, U.S. News evaluated more than 4,400 hospitals nationwide across adult specialties, procedures and conditions. Hospitals recognized as "high performing" demonstrated clinical outcomes significantly better than the national average.

For more information about the U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals rankings, visit https://www.usnews.com/best-hospitals.

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About Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist

Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist is advancing clinical care and research across the communities it serves by redefining care for all. The care network is anchored by Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, a 933-bed tertiary care hospital that includes Atrium Health Levine Children's Brenner Children's Hospital, along with five community hospitals, more than 300 care locations and over 2,700 physicians. Based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, it is part of Charlotte-based Advocate Health, the third-largest nonprofit, integrated health system in the United States. Advocate Health is a preeminent academic health system at the forefront of clinical excellence, innovation and research, with Wake Forest University School of Medicine serving as its academic core. Nationally recognized for expertise in heart and vascular, neurosciences, oncology, pediatrics and rehabilitation, Advocate Health is also a pioneer in the delivery of virtual health care. It's accelerating discovery by making research participation part of the standard-of-care through its one-of-a-kind National Center for Clinical Trials. Each campus of the school of medicine has an affiliated life-sciences focused, Innovation Quarter, in Winston-Salem and The Pearl, in Charlotte. Advocate Health has one of the nation's largest graduate medical education programs, with an experiential learning focus and specialized residencies to help protect the long-term sustainability of rural health care in America. Nationally, Advocate Health has more than 165,000 teammates serving patients at 69 hospitals and over 1,000 care locations across eight states. Advocate Health reinvests over $6 billion each year to improve community health, making it one of the nation's largest providers of community benefit.

About Advocate Health

Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Advocate Health is the third-largest nonprofit, integrated health system in the United States. A preeminent academic health system at the forefront of clinical excellence, innovation and research, it delivers care under the names Advocate Health Care in Illinois; Atrium Health in the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama; and Aurora Health Care in Wisconsin and Michigan, and Wake Forest University School of Medicine is its academic core. Nationally recognized for expertise in heart and vascular, neurosciences, oncology, pediatrics and rehabilitation, Advocate Health is also a pioneer in the delivery of virtual health care. It is accelerating discovery by making research participation part of the standard-of-care through its one-of-a-kind National Center for Clinical Trials, plus two affiliated life-sciences-focused innovation districts and one of the nation's largest graduate medical education programs. With more than 165,000 teammates serving patients at 69 hospitals and over 1,000 care locations across eight states, Advocate Health reinvests over $6 billion each year to improve community health, making it one of the nation's largest providers of community benefit.