Southern New Hampshire Medical Center Recognized Among Nation’s Leaders in Social Responsibility

by Keith Baldi, Manager of Enterprise Communications

National Ranking Highlights Commitment to Equitable, High-quality Care and Community Impact

Southern New Hampshire Medical Center has earned recognition on the 2026 Lown Hospitals Index for Social Responsibility, receiving an “A” grade for its performance in health equity, patient outcomes, and value-based care.

Unlike traditional hospital rankings, the Lown Index evaluates how well hospitals serve all patients, invest in community health, and provide care that delivers meaningful value. The ranking incorporates more than 50 measures including patient safety, clinical outcomes, equity, and community benefit.

Receiving an “A” grade in overall Social Responsibility signified that Southern NH Medical Center consistently demonstrated a strong commitment to delivering excellent care while supporting the health and well-being of the broader community.

Additional Southern NH Medical Center “A” grade categories:

 Inclusivity: Measures the extent to which patients being served are demographically similar to those in the surrounding community

 Value of Care: Reflects avoidance of the use of low-value services and adherence to cost efficiency

 Avoiding Overuse: Measures the avoidance of inappropriate tests and procedures that offer little or no clinical benefit

 Patient Outcomes: Reflects performance as it relates to patients' health and experience of care

 Clinical Outcomes: Measures patient mortality and readmission rates over various periods of time