HSS Extends Its National Leadership with 17th Consecutive No. 1 Ranking in Orthopedics and No. 3 Ranking in Rheumatology by U.S. News & World Report

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) once again leads the nation in orthopedic care, earning the No. 1 ranking in orthopedics for a record-setting 17th consecutive year and ranking No. 3 nationally in rheumatology by U.S. News & World Report 2026-2027 Best Hospitals: Specialty Rankings©.

U.S. News evaluated nearly 4,500 hospitals in 14 specialties. Hospital performance was assessed based on various measures, including patient outcomes, level of nursing care, patient-reported experience, and available technology such as computer-assisted orthopedic surgery. The methodology factored in data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, professional organizations, and medical specialists.

“We are proud to once again be recognized as a leader in orthopedics and rheumatology,” said HSS President and CEO Bryan T. Kelly, MD, MBA. “This distinction reflects the extraordinary expertise, dedication, and collaboration of the entire HSS team. For patients across the New York metropolitan region, it is also a powerful validation that the best orthopedic care in the country is available right here in their community. Through comprehensive musculoskeletal care, we help patients preserve mobility, enhance their quality of life, and extend their healthspan so they can continue doing what they need and love to do.”

“This recognition from U.S. News reflects HSS’s unwavering commitment to advancing musculoskeletal health through clinical excellence, innovation, and patient-centered care,” said Douglas E. Padgett, MD, surgeon-in-chief and medical director of HSS. “Perhaps the greatest measure of our impact is the trust of patients who travel to HSS from across the country and around the world seeking care have placed in us. This distinction reflects our dedication to achieving exceptional outcomes and our belief that preserving movement is the foundation of longevity and quality of life.”

Patients come to HSS from all 50 states and more than 100 countries, often for both common and complex medical conditions or challenging surgeries requiring highly specialized care. As a global destination for orthopedic and rheumatologic care, HSS brings together world-renowned physicians, advanced treatment approaches, and multidisciplinary teams dedicated to delivering personalized, evidence-based care for patients of all ages and activity levels.

“Our rankings reflect the extraordinary expertise, dedication, and innovation of the physicians, scientists, researchers, and care teams who make HSS a leader in rheumatology,” said Anca D. Askanase, MD, MPH, Chair of the Department of Medicine and Chief of the Division of Rheumatology at HSS. “Through groundbreaking research, advanced therapies, and highly personalized care, we are helping to transform the lives of patients living with complex autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.”

“The pace of discovery in musculoskeletal medicine is accelerating at an unprecedented rate,” said Joel Press, MD, Physiatrist-in-Chief at HSS. “Advances in artificial intelligence, data science, and precision medicine are helping researchers uncover new insights faster and translate those discoveries into more effective, personalized care. With HSS’s singular focus on musculoskeletal health and unmatched depth of clinical expertise, we are uniquely positioned to turn innovation into meaningful improvements in outcomes for patients everywhere.”

As the world’s leading academic medical center specializing in musculoskeletal health, HSS maintains among the lowest hospital readmission rates for orthopedics in the nation, and among the lowest rates for infection and complications. HSS is the worlds most awarded hospital in orthopedics by Newsweek each year since the “World’s Best Specialized Hospitals” survey was introduced in 2020.

In 2025, HSS clinicians and surgeons provided specialized care to more than 258,016 patients with orthopedic or rheumatologic conditions, such as pain or injury to the back, neck, or joints; osteoarthritis; rheumatoid arthritis; lupus; scleroderma; and psoriatic arthritis. HSS performed more than 45,864 orthopedic surgical procedures in 2025.

HSS is the official hospital of and provides team physicians to more than 25 high-performing sports teams and leagues, including the New York Giants, New York Knicks, New York Liberty, Brooklyn Nets, New York Mets, New York Red Bulls, TCS New York City Marathon, National Basketball Players Association, Major League Pickleball, US Youth Soccer, and UFC. It is designated a Medical Center of Excellence by Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA).

About HSS

HSS is the world’s leading academic medical center focused on musculoskeletal health. At its core is Hospital for Special Surgery, nationally ranked No. 1 in orthopedics (for the 17th consecutive year), No. 3 in rheumatology by U.S. News & World Report (2026-2027), and the best pediatric orthopedic hospital in NY, NJ and CT by U.S. News & World Report “Best Children’s Hospitals” list (2025-2026). HSS is the worlds most awarded hospital in orthopedics by Newsweek each year since the “World’s Best Specialized Hospitals” survey was introduced in 2020. Founded in 1863, the Hospital has the lowest readmission rate in the nation, and among the lowest infection and complication rates. HSS was the first in New York State to receive Magnet Recognition for Excellence in Nursing Service from the American Nurses Credentialing Center six consecutive times. An affiliate of Weill Cornell Medical College, HSS has a main campus in New York City and facilities in New Jersey, Connecticut and in the Long Island and Westchester County regions of New York State, as well as in Florida. In addition to patient care, HSS leads the field in research, innovation and education. The HSS Research Institute comprises 20 laboratories and 300 staff members focused on leading the advancement of musculoskeletal health through prevention of degeneration, tissue repair and tissue regeneration. In addition, more than 200 HSS clinical investigators are working to improve patient outcomes through better ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat orthopedic, rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases. The HSS Education Institute is a trusted leader in advancing musculoskeletal knowledge and research for physicians, nurses, allied health professionals, academic trainees, and consumers in more than 165 countries. The institution is collaborating with medical centers and other organizations to advance the quality and value of musculoskeletal care and to make world-class HSS care more widely accessible nationally and internationally. www.hss.edu.