Medical centers: Cedars-Sinai Medical Center vs. Mayo Clinic
Quick Verdict
Both Cedars-Sinai and Mayo Clinic are excellent hospitals with strong reputations. Mayo Clinic stands out for its higher patient satisfaction scores, extensive research activity, and wider geographic reach. Cedars-Sinai is notable for its efficient system and personalized patient services, but has had some past issues with infection control.
- Both Cedars-Sinai and Mayo Clinic are nationally recognized hospitals with Magnet recognition for nursing excellence.
- Mayo Clinic has a larger network of facilities across multiple states, while Cedars-Sinai is primarily located in Los Angeles.
- Mayo Clinic generally has higher patient satisfaction scores compared to Cedars-Sinai.
- Both institutions are actively involved in research, with Mayo Clinic having a larger research infrastructure.
- Both hospitals accept a wide range of insurance plans.
Key features – Side-by-Side
| Attribute | Cedars-Sinai Medical Center | Mayo Clinic |
|---|---|---|
| Hospital Size (Number of Beds) | 915 licensed beds (other sources state 877 or 886) | Rochester, Minnesota: 2,059 beds (Saint Marys Campus: 1,265 beds, Methodist Campus: 794 beds); Phoenix, Arizona: 368 licensed beds; Barron, Wisconsin: Not specified |
| Specialty Rankings | Nationally recognized in cardiac care, cancer treatment, orthopedics, neurosciences, transplantation services, and women's health. Ranked among the top performing hospitals in the U.S. by U.S. News & World Report. | #1 in Minnesota and Arizona; Top-ranked in 13 specialties, including #1 in Diabetes & Endocrinology and Gastroenterology (GI) & GI Surgery; Nationally ranked in 13 adult and 10 pediatric specialties |
| Patient Satisfaction Scores | Overall rating of 91 out of 100. Customer Satisfaction score of 47. 93 out of 100 patients would recommend the hospital. | Five-star ratings for patient experience; Likelihood of recommending improved from 82.9% in 2017 to 87.5% in 2021; Overall rating of 95 out of 100, 96 out of 100 would recommend |
| Technology and Equipment | State-of-the-art operating rooms, comprehensive cancer center, and dedicated heart institute. | Da Vinci Surgical System (potentially via robotic pilot programs), Advanced imaging, Proton beam therapy program, State-of-the-art electronic patient flow system in the Emergency Department |
| Research Activity | Leading institute for research funding from the National Institutes of Health. Total research expenditure in 2020 201321 was $252 million. In fiscal year 2021, received $93 million in funding from the National Institutes of Health. Research focuses on stem cell biology, immunology, neuroscience and genetics. | 5,272 research personnel, 948 physicians involved in research, 321 scientific faculty, 27 core research laboratories, 9,319 active Institutional Review Board-approved human research studies, 1,200 new Institutional Review Board-approved human research studies in 2023, 11,220 peer-reviewed publications, 5,943 active grants and contracts |
| Teaching Hospital Affiliation | Affiliated with the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. | Mayo Clinic Hospital 2013 Rochester is a teaching hospital; Affiliated with Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine |
| Geographic Accessibility/Location | Located in Los Angeles, California, on a 24-acre site. | Campuses in Arizona, Florida, and Minnesota; Mayo Clinic Health System serves communities in southern Minnesota, western Wisconsin, and northern Iowa; Rochester, Minnesota: Downtown campus with over 30 buildings, Saint Marys Campus 10 blocks west of downtown, Methodist Campus in downtown Rochester; Phoenix and Scottsdale, Arizona |
| Insurance Coverage Acceptance | Contracted with more than 100 types of insurance plans, including private insurance, HMO, PPO, POS, EPO, Medicare and Medi-Cal. | Accepts a wide range of insurance plans, both domestic and international; Works with major national carriers and regional plans; Accepts Medicare, Medicaid, and TRICARE; Contracted with Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, Humana, and UnitedHealthcare; Group Health Cooperative, Compcare, and ContinuUs are accepted for non-emergent care at Mayo Clinic Health System; Accepts most out-of-state plans for urgent or emergent care |
| Emergency Room Wait Times | Estimated wait time of 10-15 minutes. | Not available |
| Availability of Clinical Trials | Hundreds of clinical trials underway, including approximately 140 cancer clinical trials. | Hundreds of cancer clinical trials at campuses in Arizona, Florida, and Minnesota, and in the Midwest; Thousands of active clinical trials and research studies |
| Infection Rates | Poor score for preventing catheter related infection and C. Diff in 2014. Ranked well in preventing blood, urinary tract, and MRSA infections in 2019. | Magnet recognition associated with lower risk of hospital infections; Mayo Clinic in Florida and Arizona outperformed benchmarks for hospital-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections |
| Awards and Accreditations | Six consecutive Magnet recognitions for nursing excellence from the ANCC. First Southern California hospital to earn Magnet designation in 2000. | Magnet Recognition for nursing excellence; Five-star rating from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS); Recognized as a five-star hospital based on patient experience surveys; Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade "A" |
Overall Comparison
Mayo Clinic: 95/100 overall rating, 96/100 would recommend; Cedars-Sinai: 91/100 overall rating, 93/100 would recommend.
Pros and Cons
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Pros:
- Advanced technology and facilities
- Nationally recognized specialties
- High patient recommendation rate
- Leading research institute
- Teaching hospital affiliation
- Wide insurance coverage acceptance
- Efficient system from arrival to discharge
- Personalized patient services
- Multilingual staff and interpreter services
- Compassionate care
- Coordination of care with other specialists or departments
- Instructions for follow-up care after discharge
Cons:
- Poor score for preventing certain infections in the past (2014)
- Customer Satisfaction score of 47
Mayo Clinic
Pros:
- Top-ranked in many specialties
- High patient satisfaction scores
- Advanced technology and equipment
- Extensive research activity
- Teaching hospital affiliation
- Wide geographic accessibility
- Accepts a wide range of insurance plans
- Availability of numerous clinical trials
- Lower risk of hospital infections (Magnet recognition)
- Magnet Recognition for nursing excellence
- High percentage of patients would recommend
- Patient-centered approach
- Cross-specialty coordination
Cons:
- Emergency Room Wait Times information not available
- Specific practices related to cultural or religious needs was not found
- Information on ease of scheduling was not found
User Experiences and Feedback
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
What Users Love
- Good communication from doctors and nurses
- Effective pain management
- Cleanliness and maintenance
- Efficient scheduling and navigation
- Clear instructions for follow-up care
- Personalized care
- Cultural or religious needs are met
Common Complaints
- No major complaints reported.
Value Perception
- No value feedback reported.
User Recommendations
- Patients reported that their nurses "Always" communicated well.
- Patients reported that their doctors "Always" communicated well.
- Some patients reported that their pain was "Always" well controlled.
- Patients reported that their room and bathroom were "Always" clean.
- The kindest staff and the cleanest hospital were mentioned in one review.
- Patients reported that YES, they were given information about what to do during their recovery at home.
- Patients who "Strongly Agree" they understood their care when they left the hospital.
- The hospital has the most efficient system from arrival to discharge.
Mayo Clinic
What Users Love
- High patient satisfaction with nurse communication (Magnet recognition)
- Offers a complete spectrum of advanced pain management therapies
- Cleanliness (CMS star rating)
- High percentage of patients would recommend Mayo Clinic
- Patient-centered approach
- Higher patient satisfaction with the receipt of discharge information (Magnet recognition)
- Cross-specialty coordination (Magnet Designation)
Common Complaints
- No major complaints reported.
Value Perception
- No value feedback reported.
User Recommendations
- Patients gave an overall rating of 95 out of 100, and 96 out of 100 would recommend the hospital.