Three Arizona hospitals have earned spots on Becker’s Hospital Review’s 2026 “Great Hospitals in America” list, putting a national spotlight on the state’s strength in academic medicine, specialty care, medical research and pediatric healthcare.
Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix, Banner – University Medical Center Tucson and Phoenix Children’s were among the institutions selected for the recognition. Becker’s says its annual list celebrates hospitals that combine a distinguished reputation with demonstrated results and considers recognition from organizations including U.S. News & World Report, Newsweek, Healthgrades, CMS and The Leapfrog Group. Hospitals cannot pay to be included, and Becker’s uses nominations and editorial research to compile the list.
The Arizona honorees represent some of the state’s largest and most advanced healthcare institutions, with achievements spanning heart transplantation and artificial heart technology to pediatric research, medical education and Valley fever research.
“This recognition belongs to every clinician, nurse, and team member who has chosen to bring their best to work every single day,” said Benjamin Schwartz, MD, MCHM, president of academic delivery for Banner Health. “It tells the country what we already know: that the care being delivered at Banner Health is among the finest anywhere in the nation. That is something worth celebrating, and something worth protecting.”
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Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix
As Arizona’s largest hospital, Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix serves as a major referral center for complex care across the Southwest and has developed nationally recognized programs in neurosciences, cardiovascular care, oncology, orthopedics, sports medicine and organ transplantation.
Among its most notable distinctions, the Phoenix hospital operates Arizona’s largest heart transplant program and the world’s busiest total artificial heart program. It also runs Arizona’s busiest birthing center, with about 7,000 deliveries annually, and is the state’s first Level 4 perinatal center.
The hospital records approximately 36,000 admissions, 19,000 surgeries and 83,000 emergency department visits annually. It recently opened a neurocritical care unit equipped with advanced monitoring technology.
Its role also extends into addressing Arizona’s healthcare workforce shortage. Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix trains 500 residents and fellows through 50 programs and recently added 250 graduate medical education slots.
The hospital achieved its fifth Magnet redesignation for nursing excellence in 2025, an accomplishment Becker’s says places it among an elite 1% of hospitals globally. It also ranks among Arizona’s top three hospitals in U.S. News & World Report’s 2026-27 rankings.
Banner – University Medical Center Tucson
Southern Arizona also received national recognition with the inclusion of Banner – University Medical Center Tucson, a 649-bed academic medical center and primary teaching hospital for the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson.
The hospital has been ranked the Tucson region’s No. 1 hospital by U.S. News & World Report for four consecutive years.
Its clinical and research footprint includes the Valley Fever Research Center, work with Banner Alzheimer’s Institute and participation in one of Arizona’s two National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer centers. The hospital is also home to Arizona’s specialized Fetal Care Center, one of only two burn centers in the state serving both adults and children, and Tucson’s only Magnet-certified hospital.
The Tucson hospital also plays a significant role in building Arizona’s physician pipeline, training 765 residents in 23 accredited residency programs and 127 fellows in 44 fellowship programs. According to Becker’s, 33% of graduates from those programs during the past five years have remained in Arizona to practice medicine.
In 2025 alone, the medical center recorded 27,035 surgeries, 119,841 emergency visits, 35,813 inpatient admissions and more than 861,000 outpatient visits.
Phoenix Children’s
Phoenix Children’s rounds out Arizona’s three honorees, adding another national distinction to a rapidly expanding pediatric healthcare system.
U.S. News & World Report has ranked Phoenix Children’s among the nation’s Best Children’s Hospitals for 15 consecutive years. It is currently ranked the No. 1 children’s hospital in Arizona and No. 3 in the Southwest and is the only Arizona children’s hospital ever recognized by the publication.
Phoenix Children’s has 920 employed and contracted physicians and advanced practice providers and cared for more than 280,000 unique patients last year. Its recent Arizona expansion includes a 175,000-square-foot hospital and 45,000-square-foot specialty clinic in Glendale, an emergency department in Avondale and a 44,000-square-foot Level 4 neonatal intensive care unit in Phoenix. A third pediatric hospital is planned for the East Valley.
Research is another major component of the organization’s growth. The Phoenix Children’s Research Institute, based at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix, has more than 700 active studies, 640 research investigators and 90 research staff.
The system is also using technology to improve pediatric care. Its WATCHER digital surveillance program uses predictive algorithms and electronic health records to identify hospitalized children at risk of deterioration and has flagged more than 400 patients who needed a higher level of care.
Together, the three selections highlight Arizona’s growing national healthcare profile — not only for patient care, but also for research, physician training, technology and the expansion of highly specialized medical services.
