Awards and Recognition

At Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center, it is our mission to strive for excellence always, to put our patients first and to be the first and best choice for healthcare in our community. The list of accolades and accomplishments below would not be possible without our dedicated care team, leaders and community support.

Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center

One of America’s Greatest Hospitals

Fort Sanders Regional was named on Becker’s Hospital Review’s 2024 list of “Great Hospitals in America.” Hospitals on the list are “widely recognized for their clinical excellence, commitment to patient safety, innovative initiatives, research efforts, education and high levels of patient satisfaction.”

Dedication to Patient Safety

Fort Sanders Regional has earned an “A” hospital safety grade each semester since Fall 2022 from The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit organization which collects and reports data related to safety, quality, and other aspects of hospitals’ performance.

Designated Comprehensive Stroke and Rehabilitation Center

Fort Sanders Regional is recognized by The Joint Commission as a Comprehensive Stroke Center. This means we’re part of an elite group of health care providers dedicated to complete, highly-specialized stroke care. We have the training, staff, and technology to receive and treat patients with the most complex strokes. We are home to the Patricia Neal Rehabilitation Hospital, East Tennessee’s elite rehabilitation hospital for stroke, spinal cord and brain injury patients.

Get With The Guidelines® – Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award

In 2025, Fort Sanders Regional received the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines® – Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement with Target: Stroke Elite Honor Roll, Advanced Therapy and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll. This designation means that we continue to be part of an elite group of providers focused on complex and highly specialized stroke care.

Mission: Lifeline® – STEMI Gold Plus Receiving Quality Achievement Award

In 2024, Fort Sanders Regional received the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Mission: Lifeline® – Gold Plus Receiving Quality Achievement with Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll. This designation means that we continue to provide excellent care to patients who suffer severe heart attacks.

Mission: Lifeline® – NSTEMI Gold Quality Achievement Award

In 2025, Fort Sanders Regional received the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Mission: Lifeline® – NSTEMI Gold Quality Achievement with Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll. This designation means that we implemented specific quality improvement measures to continue to provide excellent care to patients who suffer heart attacks.

Safe Sleep Certified

Cribs for Kids has recognized Fort Sanders Regional for 2023 as a Gold Safe Sleep Hospital for providing education and vital tools about safe sleep to the parents of newborns.

Comprehensive Center for Bariatric Surgery

Fort Sanders Regional is accredited as a Comprehensive Center under the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program, a joint program of the American College of Surgeons and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. This accreditation signifies that Fort Sanders Regional’s Center for Bariatric Surgery meets the highest standards for patient safety and quality of care in the nation.

American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR) Certified Program

Fort Sanders Regional’s cardiovascular/pulmonary rehabilitation program (CROP/PROP) has been certified by the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR). This certification recognizes Fort Sanders Regional’s commitment to improving patients’ quality of life by enhancing cardio/pulmonary rehabilitative care.

Transitional Care Unit

Fort Sanders Regional’s Transitional Care Unit has received a 5-star overall rating by The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), which means our skilled nursing unit offers significantly above-average quality ratings. Our Transitional Care Unit was also recognized as a 2025 “Best Nursing Home” by U.S. News & World Report.

Pulmonary Hypertension Center of Excellence

Fort Sander Regional’s pulmonology service line has been recognized by the Pulmonary Hypertension Association as a Center of Excellence. This means our staff have special expertise in pulmonary hypertension and have demonstrated an ability to properly diagnose and treat this complex disease.

Blue Distinction Center+ by BlueCross BlueShield

Fort Sanders Regional is a Blue Distinction Center+ for bariatrics,knee and hip replacement, and spine surgery.

Commission on Cancer

Cancer services at Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center are accredited by the Commission on Cancer.

Updated July 2025