Both Cleveland Clinic and Northwestern Memorial Hospital are highly-rated medical institutions with strengths in various areas. Cleveland Clinic excels in cardiology and urology and has high patient satisfaction scores, while Northwestern Memorial is nationally ranked in multiple specialties and has low mortality rates for heart conditions. The choice between the two may depend on specific medical needs and insurance coverage.
| Attribute | Cleveland Clinic | Northwestern Memorial Hospital |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Hospital Rating | Five-star rating from CMS | 5-star rating from CMS |
| Specialty Rankings | No. 2 hospital in the world (Newsweek), No. 1 for cardiology and heart and vascular surgery (U.S. News & World Report), No. 1 for urologic care (Newsweek) | Nationally ranked in 11 specialties by U.S. News & World Report. Top rankings in Cardiology, Heart & Vascular Surgery (#7), Diabetes & Endocrinology (#8), Gastroenterology & GI Surgery (#10 tie) |
| Patient Satisfaction Scores | 92/100 overall, 94/100 would recommend, 81% patient experience rating (Healthgrades, 15% higher than national average) | Outstanding Patient Experience Award from Healthgrades |
| Infection Rates | 8.7/10 in 2014 (Kaiser Family Foundation), bottom 7% of hospitals | CLABSI: 0.748, CAUTI: 0.679, Surgical site infections (SSI) from colon surgery: 0.676, Surgical site infections (SSI) from abdominal hysterectomy: 0.986, MRSA: 0.643, C. diff.: 0.583 (2025 data) |
| Readmission Rates | 15.9% average 30-day readmission rate (2017-2020), 14% COVID patient readmission rate in 2020 | Pneumonia: 18%, Heart failure: 21%, Heart attack: 13% (Q3 2018 - Q2 2021). Medicare 2025: COPD: 18.9%, Heart attack: 13.2%, Heart failure: 18.7%, Pneumonia: 17.7% |
| Mortality Rates | 0%-0.6% for isolated aortic valve replacement, COPD (8.9%), heart attack (9.8%), heart failure (7.1%), pneumonia (12.7%), stroke (11.8%), CABG surgery (1.3%) | Heart failure: 6.6% (lowest in the country), Heart attack: 9.9%, Stroke: 9.4% (July 2012 - June 2015) |
| Advanced Technologies | Robotic-assisted surgery (da Vinci Xi Surgical System) | Robotic surgery, including minimally invasive robotic surgery for head and neck cancers. First in the U.S. to perform robotic lung volume reduction surgery. |
| Insurance Coverage | Accepts a wide range of plans including Health Insurance Marketplace, Medicare, Medicaid, Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Buckeye Health Plan, CareSource, Medical Mutual of Ohio | Not available |
| Emergency Room Wait Times | Not available | Not available |
| Pediatric Care | Yes | Affiliated with the Lurie Children's Hospital |
| Mental Health Services | Yes | Yes, comprehensive consultation, diagnosis, and treatment for a full range of adult and older adult mental health disorders. |