Since joining MedStar Health, MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center has seen a lot of changes leading to an abundance of nationally and regionally recognized awards, accreditations, and designations. We’re improving and we want you to know how. In 2016, MedStar Southern Maryland was credited as being one of the best hospitals in the country for Neurology & Neurosurgery by U.S.News & World Report, as well as a best regional hospital for the Washington, D.C., area. Our physicians and nurses are proud to be a part of our ever-growing system of care and can’t wait for what the future holds for our community.
MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center Awards
At MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center, we don’t just take acknowledgment seriously, we thrive on it. Since joining MedStar Health in 2012, our hospital has seen a lot of changes leading to an abundance of national and regionally recognized awards for our clinical and operational excellence. We’re improving and we want you to know how. Below highlights some of the hospital's most recent awards.
2025 – 2026 U.S. News & World Report Best Hospital rankings
For 2025 – 2026, MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center was recognized By U.S. News and World Report as High Performing in the following procedures/conditions:
- Cancer care (leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma)
- Heart attack
- Heart failure
- Kidney failure
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
An overall rating of high performing indicates a hospital was significantly better than the national average for a certain procedure or condition.
In 2016, the hospital received a national ranking in the top 50 from U.S. News and World Report in the category of Neurology and Neurosurgery.
Best Regional Hospital for Equitable Access by U.S. News & World Report
MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center was recognized in 2024 for its success as a high-performing hospital providing excellent care to patients in underserved communities. The hospital was among 53 regional hospitals in the U.S. and the only hospital in Prince George’s County and the Southern Maryland region recognized for providing high-quality care to underserved populations. The list of “Best Regional Hospitals for Equitable Access” was revealed at an exclusive event, “The State of Equity in America,” held by U.S. News & World Report.
Becker's 100 Great Community Hospitals (2026)
MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center has been named one of Becker's Hospital Review's 100 Great Community Hospitals for 2026. This national recognition highlights community hospitals that deliver exceptional clinical care, improve patient outcomes, and make a meaningful impact on the communities they serve. Becker's recognized MedStar Southern Maryland for its strong performance across key quality measures, including mortality, readmissions, and hospital-acquired infection prevention, as well as its ongoing commitment to patient safety, community health, and high-quality care.
The Maryland Perinatal-Neonatal Quality Collaborative Awards
MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center was recently recognized by the Maryland Perinatal-Neonatal Quality Collaborative (MDPQC) as a gold-level participant for our antibiotic stewardship initiative and as a sliver-level participant for our hypertension initiative. These awards recognize our hospital’s commitment to improving health outcomes for birthing people and newborns.
MDPQC is a network of perinatal care providers and public health professionals working to improve health outcomes for birthing people and newborns through continuous quality improvement. The Collaborative provides participating birthing hospitals with educational resources, technical assistance and a platform for communication and sharing best practices.
We are grateful to be recognized for our hard work, and we are proud to receive this honor.
American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines Stroke Gold Plus with Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll (2026)
MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center has received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke Gold Plus quality achievement award for its commitment to ensuring stroke and Type 2 diabetes patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines, ultimately leading to more lives saved and reduced disability.
American Heart Association's Get with the Guidelines Coronary Artery Disease NSTEMI Gold with Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll (2026)
MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center was awarded Get With The Guidelines® - Coronary Artery Disease NSTEMI Gold award, recognizing our commitment to offering rapid, research-based care to patients experiencing a specific type of heart attack known as a non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI).
For more information, please visit Heart.org/GWTGQualityAwards.
American Heart Association's Get With The Guidelines Coronary Artery Disease STEMI Receiving - Silver (2026)
This award recognizes our commitment to offering rapid, research-based care to people experiencing a specific type of heart attack known as an ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), known to be more severe and dangerous than other types of heart attacks. The Get With The Guidelines – Coronary Artery Disease program provides us the opportunity to track and improve care for our chest pain and heart attack patients, while maximizing communication among all parts of the cardiac system of care.
For more information, please visit Heart.org/GWTGQualityAwards.
Stroke Smart Hospital Gold Status Recognition (2026)
MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center has earned 2026 Gold Status Stroke Smart Hospital recognition, highlighting the hospital's commitment to stroke awareness, education, and rapid access to high-quality stroke care.
Stroke is a medical emergency, and timely recognition and treatment are critical to achieving the best possible outcomes. This recognition reflects the hospital's dedication to providing evidence-based stroke care while educating associates, patients, and the community about stroke prevention, recognition, and response.
Lown Institute Hospital Index (2026)
The Lown Institute Hospitals Index for Social Responsibility recognized MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center for excellence across several key performance measures in 2026, reflecting the hospital's commitment to delivering high-quality, patient-centered care while maximizing value for the communities we serve.
The hospital earned A grades in several key performance measures, including Outcomes, Clinical Outcomes, Community Benefit, and Cost Efficiency. These recognitions reflect the dedication, expertise, and collaboration of our physicians, nurses, clinical teams, and support staff, whose daily efforts help deliver exceptional care, improve health outcomes, and strengthen the communities we serve.
These recognitions are a direct result of the dedication, skill, and collaboration demonstrated by our entire team; from bedside caregivers to behind-the-scenes support staff.
Healthiest Maryland Business Award
MedStar Southern Maryland continues to be recognized as a Healthiest Maryland Business in 2025 as a Standout Business. Standout businesses have emerging worksite wellness practices. Standout businesses address workplace wellness using at least two strategies (policy, programming, benefits and environmental support). Standout businesses collect some data to inform future planning and implementation.
Healthgrades Recognition
MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center has earned multiple Healthgrades recognitions for outstanding clinical outcomes across cardiovascular and gastrointestinal care. These awards reflect the hospital's commitment to delivering high-quality, evidence-based care and achieving exceptional patient outcomes.
- Coronary Intervention Excellence Award™ (2026)
Superior clinical outcomes in coronary intervention procedures, including angioplasty with stent placement
- Gastrointestinal Care Excellence Award™ (2026)
Superior clinical outcomes in colorectal surgery, gallbladder removal, upper gastrointestinal surgery, and the treatment of bowel obstruction, gastrointestinal bleeding, and pancreatitis. - America's 100 Best Hospitals for Coronary Intervention™ (2025)
Recognized among the nation's top-performing hospitals for coronary intervention, reflecting superior clinical outcomes in coronary intervention procedures.
MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center Accreditations
Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) Accreditation
MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center’s Nurse Residency Program was awarded accreditation by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), a nationally recognized symbol of excellence in nursing education. This distinction affirms the hospital’s commitment to high standards in clinical training, professional development, and support for new nurses as they transition into practice.
The accreditation reflects the strength of the program in four key areas: program delivery, institutional support, curriculum, and outcomes assessment. It underscores the hospital’s investment in nursing excellence and its mission to deliver high-quality, patient-centered care to the community.
National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers
MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center has earned accreditation from the American College of Surgeons National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), recognizing the hospital's commitment to providing high-quality, comprehensive breast care.
This prestigious accreditation signifies that the Breast Health Program meets nationally recognized standards for coordinated, patient-centered care across every stage of the breast health journey, from prevention and screening through diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship.
The designation also recognizes MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center as an American College of Surgeons Surgical Quality Partner, reflecting the hospital's ongoing commitment to quality, safety, and continuous improvement.
American Academy of Sleep Medicine
MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center’s sleep lab is accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM). Our facility has met the rigorous standards set by the AASM for diagnosing and treating sleep disorders. This accreditation is considered the gold standard in sleep medicine and signifies that the lab adheres to the highest levels of patient care, safety, and quality.
American College of Radiology Nuclear Medicine Accreditation
Our hospital’s nuclear medicine department has earned accreditation from the American College of Radiology (ACR), recognizing our commitment to high-quality imaging and patient care. This accreditation reflects our adherence to rigorous standards in safety, technology, and expertise, ensuring the highest level of diagnostic accuracy for our patients.
Maryland STEMI Center Designation
MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center was redesignated a Maryland STEMI (ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction) Center by the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services System (MIEMSS). As a designated STEMI hospital, MedStar Southern Maryland meets all standards for receiving patients experiencing myocardial infarction, or a heart attack, including having all required medical equipment, staff specially trained in serving the needs of patients with acute STEMI, and availability to receive heart attack patients 24/7.
Association for the Advancements of Blood and Biotherapies (AABB) Accreditation
This accreditation is an international mark of excellence that demonstrates our facility's commitment to quality and safety to patients, donors, regulatory agencies, insurance companies and more.
Comprehensive Multiple Sclerosis Care Center Designation
MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center is designated as a Comprehensive Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Care Center through the National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s Partners in MS Care Program. MedStar Southern Maryland is the only hospital in Prince George’s County to receive this recognition, which is awarded to programs that demonstrate the highest level of knowledge and experience in treating MS, offer a full array of medical, nursing, mental health, rehabilitation, and social services, and have a strong collaborative relationship with the National MS Society.
The Joint Commission Accreditation
MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center provides our patients with the highest quality of medical and surgical care and has earned the Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval™ by demonstrating compliance with the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organization's national standards for healthcare quality and safety. Founded in 1951, the Joint Commission is dedicated to continuously improving the safety and quality of the nation's health care through voluntary accreditation.
Primary Stroke Center Designation
MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital is designated by the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems (MIEMMS) as a Primary Stroke Center. Primary Stroke Centers demonstrate they meet specific standards, including initial assessments, administration of clot-busting medication, and stroke education, to achieve long-term, successful outcomes for patients. MedStar Southern Maryland was also the first hospital in Prince George's County to receive this designation.
College of American Pathologists Accreditation
The College of American Pathology (CAP) Accreditation ensures that MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center's test results are meeting and exceeding industry standards for clinical laboratory testing.
Pathway to Excellence Designation
MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center was awarded the Pathway to Excellence® designation by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), an enterprise of the American Nurses Association. It is the first national nursing designation for the hospital and makes MedStar Southern Maryland the only hospital in the Southern Maryland peninsula to be Pathway designated. Additionally, MedStar Southern Maryland is the only hospital in Prince George’s County to receive this designation.
The Pathway designation is a global credential that highlights MedStar Southern Maryland’s commitment to creating a healthy work environment where nurses feel empowered and valued. Pathway nurses are engaged, resulting in higher job satisfaction, improved safety for both patients and associates, and better patient outcomes. The four-year designation also reflects the organization’s commitment to excellent patient care.
Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders (NICHE) Designation
NICHE Imparts principles and tools to stimulate changes in clinical practice to achieve
patient-centered care and helps nursing teams effectively meet the needs of older adult patients. MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital is a NICHE hospital with Exemplar level status. This is the highest level an organization can hold.
Recognized by the American College of Cardiology in U.S. News and World Report Best Hospitals Issue
MedStar Southern Maryland was once again recognized by the American College of Cardiology (ACC) in the 2026 U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals guidebook. In this issue, the ACC recognizes the more than 2,000 hospitals participating in the NCDR and/or ACC Accreditation Services that are committed to quality and process improvement.
Commission on Cancer (CoC) Accreditation
The Commission on Cancer (CoC) is a quality program of the American College of Surgeons and offers significant benefits for cancer programs, patients, families, and communities. Obtaining this accreditation means consistently meeting a high set of standards.
Echocardiography IAC Accreditation
MedStar Southern Maryland’s Echocardiography Department is accredited by the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC). The hospital had to undergo an extensive application and review process and demonstrate compliance with published standards and a commitment to quality patient care in echocardiography. IAC accreditation includes meeting both critical operational and technical components, as well as demonstrating competence on case studies and final reports.
American College of Radiology Breast Imaging Center of Excellence Accreditation
The BICOE designation is awarded to breast imaging centers that achieve excellence by seeking and earning accreditation in all the ACR’s voluntary accreditation programs and modules. MedStar Southern Maryland is accredited by this organization in Mammography, Stereotactic biopsy, Breast ultrasound, Ultrasound guided biopsy, and Breast MRI (via a relationship with MedStar Washington Hospital Center).