Only health system in California to make list of nation’s top 15 across all system sizes

NORTHERN CALIF. — Sutter Health has been named to Premier’s 15 Top Health Systems^® list, earning the No. 3 rank for overall quality performance in the large health systems category. The annual list recognizes health systems that provide excellent hospital-based care to their patients and communities.

“At Sutter, we put our patients first in everything we do,” said Warner Thomas, president and CEO of Sutter Health. “Our physicians, clinicians and care teams are committed to delivering the best outcomes to patients and continually raising the bar. This recognition — based on an independent, data-driven evaluation — reinforces what we strive for every day: giving patients the confidence that they’ll receive the highest quality, safest care and the best possible experience when they choose Sutter Health. It also reflects our focus on building a deep bench of high-caliber physicians and clinicians and ensuring exceptional care no matter what door patients enter.”

Premier identifies top health systems through a quantitative study, published annually for the past 17 years. For integrity, the study includes only publicly available data sources and stratifies health systems into comparison groups based on their size: large, medium and small. Unlike many other awards, honorees do not apply or pay to participate in the annual study and do not pay to market their honor.

The 2025 study assigned composite scores to more than 300 health systems by aggregating data from more than 3,000 system-aligned hospitals. The study then compared similar sized health systems to find those that performed better than their peers.

The study found that Sutter Health outperformed its large health system peers on all its performance measures.

What this recognition means for patients and their families

This national recognition reflects the meaningful impact of Sutter Health’s care — measurable improvements in safety, outcomes and the overall patient experience. It means that when patients walk through the doors of a Sutter Health hospital, they can expect:

• Better outcomes and safer care. Patients at Sutter hospitals experience fewer serious complications and better survival rates compared to similar hospitals. Teams are focused on preventing issues before they happen and catching concerns early.
• Lower infection rates. Extra precautions and rigorous standards help maintain clean, safe hospital environments — resulting in fewer hospital-acquired infections than peer systems.
• Faster, more effective healing. Patients at Sutter tend to recover more quickly, can return home sooner and are less likely to be readmitted to the hospital after discharge.
• Higher patient satisfaction. More patients rated their overall hospital experience highly, noting the quality of care, clear communication and compassion shown by care teams.

How is Sutter Health making this possible?

• Advanced technology is used to help care teams spot early warning signs before complications arise.
• Continuous improvement is prioritized by bringing doctors, nurses and specialists together to practice new skills and stay current with the latest care recommendations.
• Clear communications and personalized support empower patients and families, aiding healing and recovery at home.

“By harnessing the power of an integrated network, we can deliver the highest-quality care at all our sites and provide every patient with a seamless, comprehensive experience wherever they are,” said William Isenberg, M.D., vice president, chief medical and quality officer at Sutter Health. “Through systemwide collaboration, we can reach more patients in more places, share investments in research and innovation, and exchange knowledge about treatments and protocols — helping us deliver care tailored to individuals at the right time, in the right place and at the right level.”

For more information on Premier’s 15 Top Health Systems^® Annual Report and its methodology, click here.