Palomar Medical Center Escondido Recognized on Newsweek’s World’s Best Hospitals 2026 List for Eighth Consecutive Year

ESCONDIDO, Feb 25: Palomar Medical Center Escondido has been recognized on Newsweek’s World’s Best Hospitals 2026 list for the eighth consecutive year, joining an exclusive list alongside a number of elite hospitals that have also been awarded in every year since the inception of Newsweek’s World’s Best Hospitals in 2019. This recognition underscores Palomar Health’s unwavering dedication to quality care and excellence for the communities it serves.   

The World’s Best Hospitals 2026 ranking highlights leading hospitals across 32 countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and The United States of America. The countries were selected based on multiple comparability factors, such as standard of living/life expectancy, population size, number of hospitals and data availability. 

Newsweek and Statista awarded the best hospitals based on four data sources:  

• Recommendations from Medical Experts: Online survey among tens of thousands of doctors, health care professionals and hospital managers in 32 countries 

• Results from Patient Surveys: Survey of patient satisfaction with hospitalization 

• Hospital Quality Metrics: Medical indicators, e.g., data on quality of care for treatments, hygiene measures, patient safety and waiting times.  

• Statista PROMS Implementation Survey: Optional online survey on the implementation and use of PROMS in hospitals 

Based on the above four pillars and their respective weights, a final source was calculated for each hospital.  

Palomar Health is honored to be included in Newsweek’s World’s Best Hospitals 2026 list, reflecting its ongoing commitment to high-quality care, patient experience and clinical excellence.  

“It is an absolute honor to be named to Newsweek’s World’s Best Hospitals list for the eighth consecutive year now,” said Diane Hansen, President and CEO of Palomar Health. “This global recognition is an honor and truly reflects how Palomar Health’s focus has always been on the communities we serve. I want to thank our extraordinary physicians, nurses and hospital staff who deliver world-class care that ensures our patients receive the highest-quality treatment right here in San Diego.”