MURFREESBORO, TN (WGNS) - Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital has earned a major international honor, landing a spot on Newsweek’s World’s Best Hospitals 2026 list. The announcement came February 25, 2026 and places the Middle Tennessee hospital among top-performing facilities across 32 countries. Locally, the Saint Thomas Rutherford location on Medical Center Parkway is ranked at number 13 on the list that scores medical facilities across the state and across the country. The full list is available on Newsweek’s website.

The annual ranking evaluates hospitals around the world using a mix of expert recommendations, patient experience, and quality-of-care data. Newsweek and Statista draw from four key sources: surveys of tens of thousands of medical professionals, patient satisfaction results, hospital performance metrics such as safety and hygiene, and an optional survey measuring how hospitals use patient-reported outcome measures. Each hospital receives a final score based on these combined factors.

Ascension Saint Thomas leaders say the recognition reflects the hospital’s ongoing commitment to high-quality care and a strong patient experience. Dr. Shubhada Jagasia, CEO of Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital, said the honor underscores the dedication of the hospital’s caregivers and clinical teams. She noted that being named among the world’s best hospitals highlights the organization’s focus on safety, compassion, and excellence in every patient interaction.

Ascension Saint Thomas is part of a faith-based, nonprofit health system with a 125-year history of serving Tennessee communities. The system includes 18 hospitals and more than 300 sites of care across 45 counties. With more than 13,000 associates, Ascension Saint Thomas provides care to millions of patients each year and is part of Ascension, one of the nation’s largest Catholic health systems. In fiscal year 2024, Ascension reported providing $2.1 billion in care for those living in poverty and in other community benefit programs.