Published on October 31, 2025
Phelps Health announced today that it has achieved numerous distinctions for exceptional clinical performance from Healthgrades, the #1 site Americans use when searching for a doctor or hospital. The health system received the 2026 Healthgrades Outpatient Joint Replacement Excellence Award, placing it among the Top 5% of hospitals nationwide for outpatient joint replacement procedures.
Achieving this distinction demonstrates the ongoing commitment of Phelps Health leaders, providers and staff to delivering safe, effective and compassionate care for patients undergoing joint replacement surgery.
The complete list of recognitions earned by Phelps Health includes:
Recipient of the Healthgrades Outpatient Joint Replacement Excellence Award (2025-2026)
Named Among the Top 5% in the Nation for Outpatient Joint Replacement in 2026
Named Among the Top 10% in the Nation for Outpatient Joint Replacement (2025-2026)
Five-Star Recipient for Outpatient Total Knee Replacement (2025-2026)
Five-Star Recipient for Outpatient Total Hip Replacement in 2026
These achievements further affirm Phelps Health’s status as a premier destination for specialty care and underscore the organization’s longstanding commitment to excellent patient care.
“This recognition reflects the skill and dedication of our entire orthopedic and surgical services teams,” said Jason Shenefield, President and CEO. “Our goal is to help patients return to active, pain-free living through evidence-based care and a focus on outcomes that matter most to them.”
Phelps Health’s achievements are based solely on what matters most: patient outcomes. Each year, Healthgrades evaluates risk-adjusted mortality and complication rates for over 30 common conditions and procedures at approximately 4,500 hospitals nationwide to identify the top hospitals in key specialty areas. Through objective measures of hospital performance, Healthgrades empowers patients with the information they need to find a hospital that excels in their procedure or condition.
“Quality and safety are at the heart of everything we do,” said Keri Brookshire-Heavin, Senior Vice President, Chief Operations Officer and Chief Nursing Officer. “We’re proud that national data confirms what our patients already know — that they can trust Phelps Health for outstanding orthopedic care close to home.”
As performance gaps persist between the nation’s highest- and lowest-achieving facilities, seeking care at a top program has never been more important. Healthgrades’ 2026 analysis revealed that if all hospitals, as a group, performed similarly to five-star hospitals during the 2022-2024 study period, on average, 230,466 lives could have been saved and 156,797 complications could have been avoided.*
“Healthgrades’ specialty awards identify the nation’s top-performing hospitals in key service areas, helping consumers find high quality care tailored to their specific needs,” said Alana Biggers, MD, MPH, medical advisor at Healthgrades. “We’re proud to recognize Phelps Health for its consistently superior outcomes in key service areas.”