From Staff Reports 

JERSEY CITY, N.J. — Three Western North Carolina providers — UNC Health Pardee, Mission Health (HCA) and AdventHealth Hendersonville — were recognized Dec. 7 on Jersey City-based Forbes’ inaugural list of “Best Hospitals” for 2026.

 Pardee and Mission received top 5-star ratings for quality, patient experience, outcomes and safety, while AdventHealth earned 4 stars, marking significant regional recognition for clinical excellence. 

Following are key details in the rankings:

• UNC Health Pardee (Hendersonville,N.C.,): Received an overall 5-star rating, highlighting excellent patient experience and clinical performance, a major achievement for the facility.

• Mission Health (Asheville, N.C.): Also awarded a 5-star rating by Forbes, noted for its strong clinical outcomes despite past regulatory issues.

• AdventHealth (Hendersonville/Asheville, N.C., area): Earned a 4-star rating, also recognized on Forbes’ list for its quality of care. 

These accolades — based on what are billed as “rigorous evaluations” by Forbes in late 2025 — place the three WNC hospitals among the nation’s leading healthcare providers for the 2026 rankings.

The rankings are based on various metrics, including data from the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, patient satisfaction surveys, infection rates, and mortality rates, according to Forbes.