A new report from the Lown Institute, an independent healthcare think tank, measures how well more than 3,100 U.S. hospitals serve people of color in their surrounding communities.
The report, published Sept. 19, is based on traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage claims and the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey from 2021.
Lown said each hospital's racial inclusivity score "reflects how well the demographics of the hospital's 'community area' (containing people who the hospital could serve) compare to the demographics of the patient population (who the hospital does serve)." The community area is based on the ZIP code tabulation area from which a hospital's Medicare patients come and includes a travel time adjustment. Researchers used census data to determine the proportions of racial/ethnic groups in the 65+ population in both the hospital patient population and community area.
Racially inclusive hospitals served more patients of color than expected based on the demographics of their service area. More information about the methodology is available here.
The following hospitals are the most racially inclusive, per Lown:
1. Boston Medical Center
2. John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital (Chicago)
3. UChicago Medicine
4. Penn Presbyterian Medical Center (Philadelphia)
5. Metro Nashville General Hospital (Nashville, Tenn.)
6. South Coast Global Medical Center (Santa Ana, Calif.)
7. St. Charles Madras (Ore.)
8. Grady Memorial Hospital (Atlanta)
9. Methodist Hospitals (Gary, Ind.)
10. Emory University Hospital Midtown (Atlanta)
To view Lown's full list of most racially inclusive hospitals, click here.