A new analysis found New York ranked third-worst in the nation for hospital patient experience, based on patient satisfaction ratings collected by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
The study, conducted by iFax, analyzed CMS Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey data from 3,165 hospitals nationwide
using patient survey ratings collected between July 2024 and June 2025."Patient experience is one of the clearest indicators of healthcare quality, and this data reveals that there are clear gaps in care levels throughout the country," iFax CEO Adam Korbl said.
How New York ranked
New York received an average patient satisfaction score of 2.76 out of 5 across 134 hospitals, compared with the national average of 3.29.
According to the analysis:
- Ranked No. 3 for lowest average hospital patient rating
- Average patient rating: 2.76 out of 5
- 134 hospitals were included
- Six hospitals received the lowest possible one-star patient rating
Among New York's largest regions:
- Brooklyn: 1.78 average rating across nine hospitals
- Bronx: 2.17 average rating across six hospitals
- Manhattan: 2.45 average rating across 11 hospitals
States with the lowest hospital patient ratings
The 10 lowest-ranked states were:
- Florida (2.71)
- New Jersey (2.72)
- New York (2.76)
- Nevada (2.81)
- Arizona (2.86, tie)
- Maryland (2.86, tie)
- Delaware (2.86, tie)
- California (2.87)
- New Mexico (2.92)
- Connecticut (3.08)
States with the highest hospital patient ratings
The highest-ranked states for patient experience were:
- Wisconsin (4.06)
- South Dakota (4.00)
- Idaho (3.92)
- Nebraska (3.89, tie)
- Minnesota (3.89, tie)
- Montana (3.85, tie)
- Vermont (3.85, tie)
- Wyoming (3.85, tie)
- Maine (3.84)
- Utah (3.79)
How the rankings were calculated
iFax used CMS HCAHPS Patient Survey Summary Star Ratings, which measure patients' experiences during hospital stays.
The ratings are based on survey responses covering factors including:
- Communication with doctors and nurses
- Staff responsiveness
- Discharge information
- Hospital cleanliness
- Overall patient experience
The analysis included 3,165 hospitals with published CMS patient survey ratings. Hospitals without published ratings were excluded, and state rankings were determined by averaging the ratings of eligible hospitals within each state.
The CMS dataset used in the study was released April 28, 2026, and reflects patient survey responses collected from July 2024 through June 2025.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: NY ranks among worst states for hospital patient experience
