IBM Watson Health names St. Joseph Mercy Ann Arbor, Chelsea hospitals in top 100 list

Ann Arbor hospital named No. 3 in 15 Top Major Teaching Hospital category

St. Joseph Mercy Hospital Ann Arbor at 5301 McAuley Dr. in Ypsilanti. (Benjamin Weatherston, photo by Benjamin Weatherston)

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – St. Joseph Ann Arbor has once again been named on IBM Watson Health’s annual 100 Top Hospitals list along with its sister hospital in Chelsea.

The list has been recognizing top-performing hospitals and health systems in the United States for 26 years.

Recommended Videos



“100 Top Hospitals winners consistently set industry benchmarks for measures like 30-day readmissions, mortality rates, and patient experience,” IBM Watson Health said in its report.

This year, St. Joe’s Ann Arbor was recognized as No. 3 within the 15 Top Major Teaching Hospital category. It has on the top 100 list a total of 12 times, having made the cut in 2020, 2019, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2009, 1999 and 1996, the hospital said in a release.

St Joe’s Chelsea took the No. 20 spot in the Top Small Community Hospital category while its sister hospital in Grand Rapids, Mercy Health Saint Mary’s, appeared as No. 4 in the 15 Top Major Teaching Hospital category.

For its 100 Top Hospitals list, IBM Watson Health evaluated 2,675 short-term, acute care, non-federal hospitals around the United States. Hospitals that made the cut were chosen based on key clinical and operation performance indicators, including survival rates, length of stay, patient ratings, operational efficiency, and financial health.

Hospitals were divided into five categories for more measured comparisons and evaluated using a scorecard. The highest performing hospitals in 2021 list were noted for having higher patient ratings, lower patient mortality and fewer patient complications, providing fast emergency care and having lower 30-day hospital-wide remission rates, the list report said.

“We are so honored to be named to this list, which is one of the most notable recognitions for a hospital based on real data and results,” said St. Joseph Mercy Ann Arbor and Livingston President Alonzo Lewis in a release. “This year, I am delighted to see that the work hospitals are doing in the area of community health and improving equity is one of the metrics, and deeply proud that the work we are doing in this area has been recognized.”

St. Joseph Mercy Ann Arbor is at 5301 McAuley Dr., Ypsilanti.


About the Author:

Sarah has worked for WDIV since June 2018. She covers community events, good eats and small businesses in Ann Arbor and has a Master's degree in Applied Linguistics from Grand Valley State University.