Northwest named among the nation's best hospitals for patient safety

HCA Houston Healthcare Northwest announced today that it has been recognized as a 2025 Patient Safety Excellence Award™ recipient by Healthgrades, the #1 site Americans use when searching for a doctor or hospital. This achievement reflects HCA Houston Healthcare Southeast’s clear commitment to safe, patient-centered care and puts HCA Houston Healthcare Northwest in the top 10% of hospitals nationwide for patient safety.

“We are extremely proud to win this award for the third year in a row (2023 – 2025).  Patient safety is at the forefront of everything that we do and our physicians, nurses, and entire staff of professionals work diligently each day to provide safe, high-quality care to our patients,” said Joel North, CEO of HCA Houston Healthcare Northwest.

This achievement is based solely on what matters most: patient outcomes. To determine the top-performing hospitals for patient safety, Healthgrades evaluated risk-adjusted complication and mortality rates for approximately 4,500 hospitals nationwide. Healthgrades’ analysis revealed significant performance gaps between the nation’s highest- and lowest-achieving facilities, making it increasingly important for consumers to seek care at a hospital with top safety ratings. From 2021-2023, 173,280 preventable safety events occurred among Medicare patients in U.S. hospitals, with four patient safety indicators accounting for nearly 76% of these incidents. * The annual study found that patients treated in hospitals that received the 2025 Patient Safety Excellence Award have a significantly lower chance of experiencing one of the four leading safety indicators than patients treated at non-recipient hospitals:

• In-hospital falls resulting in fracture (54% less likely)
• Collapsed lung due to a procedure or surgery in or around the chest (approximately 55% less likely)
• Pressure sores or bed sores acquired in the hospital (approximately 69% less likely)
• Catheter-related bloodstream infections acquired in the hospital (72% less likely)

“As a 2025 Patient Safety Excellence Award recipient, HCA Houston Healthcare Northwest consistently put the well-being of their patients and staff at the forefront, setting a high standard for patient safety nationwide,” said Debra Gradick, MD FACEP, senior physician consultant at Healthgrades. “We commend HCA Houston Healthcare Southeast for providing consistently exceptional care while preventing serious injuries, giving patients their best chance of a seamless recovery.”

Where you’re treated matters, which is why Healthgrades is committed to providing the most scientifically accurate information about doctors and hospitals–with data insights not available anywhere else. Consumers can visit Healthgrades for guidance on how to find safe, high quality care in 2025.

*Statistics are calculated from Healthgrades Patient Safety Ratings and Excellence Award methodology which is based primarily on the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) technical specifications (Version 2024.0.1) to Medicare Provider Analysis and Review (MedPAR) data from approximately 4,500 hospitals for years 2021 through 2023 and represent three-year estimates for Medicare patients only. Click here to view the complete 2025 Patient Safety Excellence Awards Methodology.