Aug. 7, 2025 — Patient safety and the highest quality of care are Lee Health’s top priorities, and the health system is pleased to announce that all four of its adult acute care hospitals have been named four-star hospitals by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Four stars is one of the highest accolades in the annual rating system.

All four Lee Health adult acute care facilities have ranked among the leading hospitals in the nation with four-star or better for the last three rating periods. Children’s hospitals are not included in this ranking system.

“At Lee Health, we continuously strive to provide the safest, highest level of compassionate patient care possible, and we are proud to be among some of the most advanced and top-tier health systems in the industry,” said Dr. Larry Antonucci, President and CEO of Lee Health. “These ratings always push us to improve our already high standard of care and we will continue to do that while providing the best possible experience for the Southwest Florida community.

The CMS overall star rating is based on how a hospital performs across different areas of quality, such as treating heart attacks and pneumonia, readmission rates, and safety of care. The rating shows how individual hospitals perform compared to all hospitals across the country.

“As a nurse at Lee Health, I take immense pride in being part of a team that prioritizes patient safety and high-quality care every day,” Kylie Barry, a nurse at Gulf Coast Medical Center said about the announcement. “Earning four stars in the CMS Quality Star Ratings is a testament to our unwavering commitment to excellence. Knowing that our efforts make a real difference in the lives of our patients and our community drives me to give my best every single day.”

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services created this rating system to help consumers, their families, and caregivers compare hospitals more easily. The scores are based on quality and safety data points, including readmissions, safety of care, patient experiences, outcomes, and timeliness of care.

Learn more about Lee Health’s awards and recognitions at www.leehealth.org.

About Lee Health

Since the opening of the first hospital in 1916, Lee Health has been a health care leader in Southwest Florida, constantly evolving to meet the needs of the community. A non-profit, integrated health care services organization, Lee Health is committed to the well-being of every individual served, focused on healthy living and maintaining good health. Staffed by caring people, inspiring health, services are conveniently located throughout the community in four acute care hospitals, two specialty hospitals, outpatient centers, walk-in medical centers, primary care and specialty physician practices and other services across the continuum of care. Formerly known as Lee Memorial Health System, the organization began its second century of service with a new name in 2016. Learn more at www.LeeHealth.org.