Riverside and St. Mary’s Recognized Among Nation’s 100 Great Community Hospitals

Riverside Medical Center and St. Mary’s Hospital, both located in Kankakee, have been named to Becker Hospital Review’s 2026 list of 100 Great Community Hospitals, a national recognition that highlights hospitals providing outstanding care and service to their communities.

The annual list recognizes community hospitals across the country that deliver high-quality care, strong patient experiences, and a wide range of services close to home.

According to Becker’s Hospital Review, hospitals selected for the list demonstrate that exceptional healthcare is not limited to large academic medical centers or major metropolitan health systems. Honorees were recognized for delivering expert care, driving innovation and serving as cornerstones of their communities.

The full Becker’s Hospital Review 2026 Great Community Hospitals list is available on the Becker’s Healthcare website.

Riverside Healthcare in Kankakee, Illinois is a nationally recognized, independent community hospital system that has earned its fourth Magnet recognition, with zero deficiencies and multiple exemplars, placing it in an elite group of hospitals nationwide that have maintained that level of distinction. The hospital has achieved a Leapfrog “A” hospital safety grade, earned the American College of Cardiology “HeartCARE” center designation, holds a Commission on Cancer accreditation from the American College of Surgeons, and received the “Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health” at the platinum level. The hospital has been approaching milestone volumes in structural heart interventions such as transcatheter aortic valve replacement and Watchman procedures, maintains zero surgical site infections year to date and has demonstrated measurable improvements in sepsis care compliance. Recent innovations include the introduction of Aquablation therapy for benign prostatic hyperplasia, and trabecular bone score imaging technology for enhanced osteoporosis detection and risk assessment. The hospital is incorporating AI-supported tools in radiology to improve diagnostic accuracy and turnaround times, and a new behavioral health skills room provides simulation-based training to strengthen clinical competency. Following a regional tornado, the hospital mobilized quickly to provide care, support recovery efforts and assist affected employees, reinforcing its role as a community anchor during times of crisis.

St. Mary’s Hospital is a 182-bed, full-service acute care hospital in Kankakee, Illinois, and a member of Prime Healthcare Foundation, a public nonprofit charity, recognized for sustained excellence in patient safety and equitable care. The hospital earned four consecutive “A” grades for patient safety from The Leapfrog Group and received the Healthgrades 2026 “Patient Safety Excellence Award,” and was named to the Forbes “Top Hospitals” list, reflecting strong performance across national measures of clinical quality, outcomes and patient experience. St. Mary’s received “A” grades from the Lown Institute Hospitals Index for pay equity and health equity. Following a devastating tornado on March 10, the hospital cared for community members who came through its emergency department during and after the storm, and in the days that followed provided meals to first responders and hosted an interfaith prayer vigil with local clergy and community members to support recovery. The Prime Healthcare Foundation contributed $50,000 to the United Way of Kankakee’s Emergency Relief Fund to support affected families, reflecting the hospital’s role as a pillar of the community beyond its clinical walls.