A new analysis of patient satisfaction data has identified Kansas as one of the top-performing states in the nation for hospital patient experience, while Wisconsin secured the highest overall ranking among U.S. states.
The study, conducted by online fax service iFax using data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), reviewed HCAHPS patient survey summary star ratings for 3,165 hospitals across the United States. The survey data covered patient reviews collected between July 2024 and June 2025 and was aggregated to calculate average patient experience ratings for each state.
According to the findings, Wisconsin achieved the highest average patient rating in the nation, earning 4.06 out of 5 stars across 100 rated hospitals. It was the only state to surpass the 4-star threshold, reflecting consistently strong patient satisfaction across both urban and rural healthcare facilities.
More than 52,000 patient surveys were completed in Wisconsin during the study period. Several smaller communities, including Altoona, Amery, Ashland, Barron, Black River Falls, Columbus, Dodgeville and Stoughton, recorded perfect 5-star ratings. Larger population centers also performed well, with hospitals in Madison averaging 4.25 stars and facilities in La Crosse averaging 4.5 stars.
South Dakota ranked second nationally with an average rating of 4.00 out of 5 across 18 hospitals. Despite having fewer facilities included in the analysis, the state demonstrated consistently strong patient satisfaction. Hospitals in Sioux Falls averaged 4.4 stars, while those in Rapid City averaged 4.0 stars.
Idaho claimed third place with an average rating of 3.92 out of 5 across 24 hospitals. Communities including Moscow, McCall, Ketchum and Mountain Home achieved perfect patient ratings, while hospitals in Boise averaged 4.25 stars.
Nebraska and Minnesota shared fourth place with average ratings of 3.89 out of 5. Nebraska’s performance was supported largely by strong ratings from rural hospitals and small-town facilities. Meanwhile, several communities in Minnesota, including Aitkin, Crookston, Fairmont, Glencoe, Glenwood, Fergus Falls, Mora and Park Rapids, were home to hospitals that earned perfect patient satisfaction scores.
Montana, Vermont and Wyoming tied for fifth place with average patient ratings of 3.85 out of 5. In Montana, communities such as Anaconda and Fort Harrison achieved 5-star ratings, while larger cities including Billings, Missoula and Bozeman averaged 3.5 stars. Vermont’s largest hospital, the University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington, earned an average rating of 4 stars from more than 2,700 completed surveys. Wyoming’s capital city of Cheyenne averaged 4 stars across two hospitals, while facilities in Laramie, Cody, Gillette and Douglas also posted strong results.
Kansas Outperforms National Average
Kansas rounded out the top 10 states for patient experience, earning an average hospital rating of 3.72 out of 5 across 50 facilities. The state’s score exceeded the national average of 3.29 stars recorded across all hospitals included in the study.
Within Kansas, patient satisfaction levels varied by location. Hospitals in Wichita averaged 3.57 stars across seven facilities, while hospitals in Overland Park averaged 3.5 stars. Facilities in Topeka posted an average rating of 3.33 stars.
Maine ranked sixth nationally with a patient satisfaction score of 3.84 out of 5 across 25 hospitals. Five facilities in the state earned perfect 5-star ratings, including Togus VA Medical Center in Augusta and Mount Desert Island Hospital in Bar Harbor. Augusta itself averaged 4.5 stars across two hospitals.
Utah placed seventh with an average score of 3.79 out of 5. Salt Lake City hospitals averaged 3.8 stars, while facilities in Ogden and Layton averaged 3.5 stars.
Louisiana ranked eighth with a patient satisfaction rating of 3.76 out of 5 across 59 hospitals, the highest number of facilities among the states in the top 10. Several hospitals across the state achieved perfect 5-star ratings, including facilities in Abbeville, Bogalusa, Breaux Bridge, Lafayette, Hammond and Covington.
Iowa secured ninth place with an average patient satisfaction score of 3.74 out of 5. Many of the state’s highest-rated hospitals were located in smaller communities, including Carroll, Sioux Center, Spirit Lake, Waukon, Waverly, Harlan, Marengo, Webster City, Onawa and Orange City.
The report found that Midwest and Mountain West states consistently outperformed many coastal states in terms of patient satisfaction. Florida, New Jersey and New York recorded some of the lowest patient ratings in the nation.
Commenting on the findings, Adam Korbl, CEO of iFax said: “Patient experience is one of the clearest indicators of healthcare quality, and this data reveals that there are clear gaps in care levels throughout the country.
“The figures show that states in the Midwest and Mountain West are consistently outperforming their states that reside nearer the coasts, which may reflect differences in hospital size, staffing ratios, and the operational running of a facility.
“What healthcare providers and hospitals need to prioritize that they often overlook, is consistent communication whether this be with other providers, internally and across teams. Ensuring that communication is prioritized so that hospitals can run smoothly is critical and there are many ways to implement and strengthen this.
“One key way is staying up to date with technology that eliminates hassle, delays, miscommunication and wasted time. Using apps that allow you to send faxes for example, allow hospitals to transfer all the right documentation, quickly and effectively which means healthcare providers can spend more time on their patients than on administration work.”
The study was based on CMS HCAHPS survey data covering 3,165 hospitals nationwide and offers a snapshot of patient experiences across the U.S. healthcare system. The findings suggest that many rural and smaller-community hospitals continue to receive some of the strongest patient feedback in the country, helping several Midwest and Mountain West states achieve top rankings for overall patient satisfaction.
