Independence Health System Nationally Recognized for Specialty Care Excellence by Healthgrades

Health System hospitals lauded for 15 Clinical Achievements for exceptional performance,

including America’s Best Honors in Coronary Interventional Procedures and Joint Replacement

Greensburg, Pa. – October 28, 2025 – Independence Health System announced

today that it has once again earned numerous accolades for exceptional clinical

performance from Healthgrades, the leading resource consumers use when searching

for a doctor or hospital.

Among the health system’s most recent honors are two distinctions as America’s 100

Best Hospitals for Specialty Care, three Specialty Excellence Awards, and nine Five-

Star Distinctions. These achievements place Independence Health System among the

nation’s leading hospitals for specialty care and highlight the organization’s unwavering

commitment to consistently delivering exceptional patient outcomes.

In addition to these national honors, Westmoreland Hospital was ranked the No. 1

hospital in Pennsylvania for coronary intervention and is the only hospital in the

Commonwealth to receive the America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Coronary Intervention™

designation for three consecutive years (2024-2026). Westmoreland Hospital has

ranked among the top 5% in the nation for coronary interventional procedures for the

past three years and is named among the top 10% in the nation for cardiology services

for the past five years (2022-2026). These achievements further affirm Westmoreland

Hospital’s status as a premier destination for specialty cardiovascular care and

underscore the organization’s longstanding commitment to excellent patient care.

“These recognitions reflect the extraordinary dedication of our entire team to delivering

high-quality, compassionate care,” said Brian Fritz, president of Independence Health

System’s Frick, Latrobe and Westmoreland hospitals. “We are proud to be

acknowledged among the nation’s top hospitals and remain committed to advancing

excellence in patient outcomes across every specialty we serve.”

Independence Health System Westmoreland Hospital was also recognized as one of

America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Joint Replacement™ and received Five-Star

Distinctions in coronary interventional procedures, treatment of heart attack, total Knee

replacement and total hip replacement. In addition, Westmoreland Hospital earned the

Healthgrades Coronary Intervention Excellence Award™ and the Joint Replacement

Excellence Award™ - placing it among the top 10% in the nation for joint replacement

for three consecutive years (2024-2026).

Independence Health System Latrobe Hospital received Five-Star Distinctions in

treatment of heart attack, treatment of stroke, colorectal surgeries and treatment of

sepsis. Latrobe Hospital maintained its Five-Star distinction for the treatment of sepsis

for 13 consecutive years (2014-2026).

“These achievements place our hospitals among the top in the nation—and in some

cases, the very best in Pennsylvania—for heart, joint and critical care outcomes,” said

Ken DeFurio, president and CEO of Independence Health System. “Just as importantly,

they affirm that Independence Health System continues to deliver outcomes that exceed

expectations for the patients who entrust us with their care. On behalf of our entire

leadership team, I extend my sincere gratitude for the unwavering dedication and

contributions of our staff. Your commitment to our patients and communities is the

foundation of our success.”

Each year, Healthgrades evaluates risk-adjusted mortality and complication rates for

over 30 common conditions and procedures at approximately 4,500 hospitals

nationwide to identify the top hospitals in key specialty areas. Through easy-to-

understand, objective measures of hospital performance, Healthgrades empowers

patients with the information they need to find a hospital that excels in their procedure or

condition.

As performance gaps persist between the nation’s highest- and lowest-achieving

facilities, seeking care at a top program has never been more important. Healthgrades’

2026 analysis revealed that if all hospitals, as a group, performed similarly to five-star

hospitals during the 2022-2024 study period, on average, 230,466 lives could have

been saved and 156,797 complications could have been avoided.*

“Healthgrades’ specialty awards identify the nation’s top-performing hospitals in key

service areas, helping consumers find high quality care tailored to their specific needs,”

said Alana Biggers, MD, MPH, medical advisor at Healthgrades. “We’re proud to

recognize Independence Health System for its consistently superior outcomes.”

Consumers can visit Healthgrades’ Specialty Excellence Patient Advocate Center to

learn more about how Healthgrades identifies the top-performing hospitals for specialty

care.

*Statistics are based on Healthgrades analysis of MedPAR data for years 2022 through

2024 and represent three-year estimates for Medicare patients only. Click here to view

the complete 2026 Specialty Awards and Ratings Methodology.

Nationally recognized for quality care, Independence Health System comprises Butler Memorial, Clarion, Frick, Latrobe and Westmoreland Hospitals with a combined bed count of 925. With more than 1,000 physicians and advanced practice providers and nearly 7,000 employees, the System is the third largest in western Pennsylvania serving a population base of 750,000 in a footprint spanning more than 10 counties.  The System includes tertiary programs rated among America’s best for cardiac care and surgery, earning accolades from a number of prestigious outlets and organizations. Locally owned and locally controlled,

Independence Health System offers its patients low-cost, high-quality care across the care spectrum in such specialties as cardiology, cardiovascular and thoracic surgery, orthopedics and sports medicine, minimally invasive and robotic surgery, women’s health and obstetrics, emergency medicine, behavioral health and primary care. Its network of outpatient centers sees more than 1.2 million visits annually.

The homecare division further supports patients at all stages of life with home health and hospice services. Learn more at www.independence.health