NRC Health Announces 2026 Award Winners Recognizing Excellence Across Healthcare
Annual awards recognize leading hospitals, health systems, medical groups, and specialty providers for excellence in patient experience, healthcare experience management, consumer loyalty, innovation, and brand reputation.
LINCOLN, Neb., Sept. 1, 2026 — NRC Health today announced the winners of its 2026 awards program, recognizing hospitals, health systems, medical groups, and specialty providers for excellence in patient experience, healthcare experience management, consumer loyalty, innovation, brand performance, and patient-centered care.
The annual awards program honors organizations across a broad range of care settings, including health systems, hospitals, children’s hospitals, specialty hospitals, critical-access hospitals, and medical groups. Categories include Excellence in Patient Experience, Excellence in Experience Management, Consumer Loyalty, Innovation Co-Design, and Best in Brand.
This year’s program includes two new awards: the Innovation Co-Design Award and the Best in Brand Award. The Innovation Co-Design Award recognizes top partner organizations that collaborated closely with NRC Health in the pursuit of significant innovation, while the Best in Brand Award honors organizations with the highest brand perception among healthcare consumers.
These awards recognize organizations that listen to patients and consumers, act on feedback, and improve experiences across the care journey.
“The hospitals and health systems recognized through our 2026 awards program demonstrate what patient experience excellence looks like in practice,” said Trent Green, Chief Executive Officer at NRC Health. “These organizations consistently listen to patients, consumers, and communities, then act on what they learn to improve healthcare experiences and strengthen trust. Their achievements show that better experiences are built one relationship at a time.”
Award recipients are selected using category-specific methodologies that incorporate patient feedback, consumer perception, brand reputation, and experience data across multiple care settings.
“Experience excellence is not a stand-alone initiative,” said Helen Hrdy, Chief Operating Officer at NRC Health. “It’s the result of sustained commitment across leadership teams, care settings, and communities. These organizations are using insights to strengthen relationships, improve decisions, and create experiences that reflect the expectations of the people they serve.”
This year’s honorees include leading healthcare organizations from across the country, recognized for excellence in patient experience, experience management, consumer loyalty, innovation, and brand reputation. A complete list of winners and award methodologies is available online.
NRC Health will recognize the 2026 award-winners during Human Understanding Beyond | HUB26 in Nashville on September 2, 2026.
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