Sanford Fargo named top hospital by Forbes
Jan. 8, 2026
Contact:
Nathan Aamodt
Sanford Health Media Relations
(701) 200-6080/nathan.aamodt@sanfordhealth.org
FARGO, N.D. – Sanford Medical Center Fargo was recently named to the inaugural Forbes Top Hospitals 2026 list and recognized as a 5-star facility.
From an initial pool of 5,400 hospitals nationwide, Forbes identified 2,500 that met its criteria and then assigned ratings from one to five stars. Only 253 hospitals earned five stars, placing Sanford Fargo among the top 5% in the country. Sanford Fargo and Sanford Bismarck are the only hospitals in North Dakota to receive 5-star overall ratings.
The Forbes Top Hospitals rating system evaluates general acute care hospitals throughout the United States to offer consumers unbiased information on which hospitals can offer top-notch, high-value medical services, no matter where they are in the country, while also giving hospitals a benchmark to compare their performance to that of their peers.
“We are honored to be named a top hospital and 5-star facility by Forbes,” said Tiffany Lawrence, Sanford Fargo president and CEO. “This recognition reflects the dedication of our exceptional leadership team, clinicians, nurses and support staff, who work every day to provide access to compassionate, world-class care. From offering the only blood and bone marrow transplant program in the upper Midwest to our role as North Dakota’s only Level I Trauma Center, I’m so proud of how we continue to expand our services to ensure our communities receive the care they need, close to home.”
Sanford Fargo is the sole provider of several unique services and programs in North Dakota, including the only Level I Adult Trauma Center, Level II Pediatric Trauma Center and blood and bone marrow transplant program in the state. In addition, Sanford Fargo is also an Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center and recently achieved Magnet® designation, the most prestigious credential a health care organization can achieve for nursing excellence and quality patient care. In 2024, Sanford Fargo received a 5-star rating by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
A full list of the Forbes Top Hospitals 2026 list can be found here.
About Sanford Health
Sanford Health, the largest rural health system in the United States, is dedicated to transforming the health care experience and providing access to world-class health care in America’s heartland. Headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the organization has 55,000 employees and serves over 2 million patients and nearly 425,000 health plan members across the upper Midwest including South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wyoming, Iowa, Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The integrated nonprofit health system includes a network of 57 hospitals, 288 clinic locations, 147 senior care communities, 4,000 physicians and advanced practice providers and nearly 1,500 active clinical trials and studies. The organization’s transformational virtual care initiative brings patients closer to care with access to 78 specialties. Learn more about Sanford Health’s commitment to shaping the future of rural health care across the lifespan at sanfordhealth.org or Sanford Health News.
