St. Luke’ University Health Network has once again been recognized by the Lown Institute for outstanding social responsibility, receiving an A grade on the 2025-26 Lown Institute Hospitals Index.

St. Luke’s is No. 5 in the United States out of 322 health systems for social responsibility, according to Lown, an independent health-care think tank based in Massachusetts.

“This report’s findings reflect St. Luke’s dedication to expand access to our Network’s world-class, outcomes-driven quality care,” said St. Luke’s Vice President of Community Health Rajika Reed, PhD., MPH, MEd.

“As the Lehigh Valley’s only locally-based, independent health-care network, proudly caring for those in need for over 150 years, we are fully committed to and invested in advancing the wellbeing of our communities,” Reed said.

Out of more than 2,700 hospitals measured by Lown, only 5 percent achieved honor roll status, with St. Luke’s ranking among the select group of high-performers.

St. Luke’s Hospital - Upper Bucks Campus (Quakertown) is ranked No. 1 out of 114 acute care-critical access hospitals in Pennsylvania and No. 14 nationally out of 2,717 hospitals on the social-responsibility metric.

St. Luke’s University Hospital - Bethlehem, which includes the Allentown and Sacred Heart campuses, is ranked No. 1 in the state for patient safety, and No. 8 overall in the nation.

A total of 11 individual St. Luke’s hospitals earned Honor Roll status this year, with A grades in each of the top four categories: Social Responsibility, Equity, Value of Care, and Patient Outcomes.

The Honor Roll hospitals include:

• St. Luke’s University Hospital (Bethlehem, Allentown and Sacred Heart campuses)

• St. Luke’s Anderson Campus

• St. Luke’s Carbon Campus

• St. Luke’s Easton Campus

• St. Luke’s Miners Campus

• St. Luke’s Monroe Campus

• St. Luke’s Upper Bucks Campus

• St. Luke’s Warren Campus

• Geisinger St. Luke’s Hospital

“Hospitals are facing unprecedented political and financial challenges,” said Vikas Saini, MD, president of the Lown Institute.

“In this uncertain environment, it’s more important than ever to support the socially responsible hospitals who are delivering high-quality care to all in their community,” Saini said.

The Lown Hospitals Index for Social Responsibility is the only ranking to combine metrics of health equity and value of care alongside patient outcomes for more than 2,700 acute care and 800 critical access hospitals nationwide, offering a holistic view of hospitals as total community partners.

In the sixth annual rankings, the 2025-26 Lown Index evaluates hospitals on more than 50 measures, including novel metrics such as community benefit, racial inclusivity and avoidance of overuse.

Data sources include Medicare fee-for-service and Medicare Advantage claims, CMS patient safety data and hospital cost reports, and IRS 990 forms, among others.

The methodology is at the Lown Institute Hospitals Index website: https://lownhospitalsindex.org/