Mercy among best in the nation at serving its patients and community, according to healthcare think tank
(AURORA, IL) July 9, 2025 – Mercy Medical Center, a member of Prime Healthcare, has earned “A” grades in seven areas on the Lown Institute’s 2025–26 Hospitals Index: Mercy’s “A” rated categories are:
Clinical Outcomes, Health Equity, Social Responsibility, Community Benefit, Pay Equity, Inclusivity, and Cost Efficiency. Out of more than 3,500 hospitals evaluated nationwide, Mercy stands out for its commitment to delivering high-quality, equitable care.
“Hospitals are facing unprecedented political and financial challenges,” said Vikas Saini, MD, president of the Lown Institute. “In this uncertain environment, it’s more important than ever to support socially responsible hospitals that are delivering high-quality care to all in their community.”
“We’re honored to be recognized by the Lown Institute. Our team remains committed to continuously focusing on delivering safe, equitable care to all we serve,” said Fernando Gruta, Chief Executive Officer at Mercy Medical Center. “We have a responsibility to continue to build trust with our patients and community through compassion, quality, and accountability.”
Mercy received “A” grades in the following categories:
• Clinical Outcomes – how well the hospital keeps patients alive and prevents return trips
• Health Equity – Cost efficiency and avoidance of low-value care
• Social Responsibility – a hospital’s overall combined results of equity, value and outcomes
• Community Benefit – reflects a hospital’s commitment to community health and civic leadership
• Pay Equity – Executive pay ratio compared to non-clinical staff wages
• Inclusivity – Consistent service across income, race, and education levels
• Cost Efficiency – hospitals with lowest mortality and lowest costs compared to Medicare
These latest honors follow another recent recognition for Mercy for its quality and safety. The hospital earned an “A” grade for patient safety from The Leapfrog Group, based on over 30 measures of errors, accidents, injuries and infections, as well as the systems in place to prevent them. Together, these recognitions highlight a strong, sustained commitment to patient-centered, high-quality care.
The Lown Hospitals Index for Social Responsibility is the only ranking to combine metrics of health equity and value of care alongside patient outcomes, for more than 2,700 acute care and 800 critical access hospitals nationwide — offering a holistic view of hospitals as total community partners. In the sixth annual rankings, the 2025-26 Lown Index evaluates hospitals on over 50 measures including novel metrics such as community benefit, racial inclusivity, and avoidance of overuse. Data sources include Medicare fee-for-service and Medicare Advantage claims, CMS patient safety data and hospital cost reports, and IRS 990 forms, among others.
Full methodology can be found on the Lown Index website.
The Lown Institute is an independent think tank advocating bold ideas for a just and caring system for health. Learn more at www.LownHospitalsIndex.org.
###
ABOUT MERCY MEDICAL CENTER
Founded in 1911, Mercy Medical Center, located in Aurora, IL, is a 292-bed facility that provides specialized and comprehensive emergency care 24/7. Its care teams listen to the needs of their patients and ensure they receive the right care. Mercy operates 95 beds for acute mental health treatment and 197 beds for medical, surgical, obstetric, pediatric, and intensive care. Mercy is a leading choice for specialty care, including behavioral health, heart care, cancer treatment, stroke care, orthopedics, and women’s health. Its OB-GYN and maternity care teams create a personalized birthing experience for every patient. Mercy also offers many minimally invasive procedures using robotic-assisted technology, along with imaging and lab tests, all with a dedicated inpatient rehabilitation center conveniently located on one campus.