University of Chicago Medical Center earns Leapfrog Group’s 'Top Teaching Hospital' for 8th time

The University of Chicago Medical Center has been honored for the eighth time as a Top Teaching Hospital by The Leapfrog Group, highlighting its leadership in patient safety, quality care and medical education.

The top hospital awards recognize hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers that uphold the highest standards in safety and quality, making it one of the most competitive distinctions in the United States. To qualify, hospitals must rank among the top performers on Leapfrog’s bi-annual Hospital Safety Grade survey and excel in their respective categories. The University of Chicago Medical Center, the flagship hospital of the UChicago Medicine health system, received its 28th consecutive “A” grade for safety from The Leapfrog Group in November 2025.

Out of more than 2,400 hospitals evaluated nationwide, the University of Chicago Medical Center is one of 156 hospitals to earn a Top Hospital distinction. Honorees include 73 teaching hospitals, 56 general hospitals, 16 rural hospitals and 15 children’s hospitals.

“We are proud to once again receive The Leapfrog Group’s Top Teaching Hospital award,” said Vineet Arora, MD, Dean for Medical Education at UChicago Medicine. “This honor reflects the relentless commitment of our faculty, staff, and learners to deliver exceptional care to our patients and address the health needs of Chicago’s South Side community. It motivates us to continue striving for excellence every day.”

High standards, rigorous review

The Leapfrog Group is a national watchdog organization of employers and purchasers, known for setting some of the toughest standard-setters for healthcare safety and quality.

The Top Hospital award is granted to hospitals that publicly report their performance through the Leapfrog Hospital Survey and rank among the highest in meeting rigorous criteria outlined in the Top Hospitals methodology. These criteria include infection control, maternity care, and prevention of medication errors, among other standards.

“The University of Chicago Medical Center has distinguished itself through an unwavering focus on safety and quality, earning a place on this year’s list of Top Hospitals,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “This recognition reflects a culture of transparency and continuous improvement — one embraced by every member of the organization. We commend the entire team at UCMC for reaching this outstanding milestone.”

Award recipients were announced during Leapfrog’s 2025 Annual Meeting and Awards Dinner on December 15, 2025. For the complete list of Leapfrog’s Top Hospitals, visit leapfroggroup.org/tophospitals