Eric Tomlon Eric.tomlon@hopco.com Healthgrades contact: Audrey Becker
The CORE Institute Specialty Hospital (CISH) Honored With Five-Star Ratings for Specialty Care from Healthgrades
- Healthgrades recognizes CISH for exceptional performance in spinal fusion surgery
- CISH earns national and statewide accolades for spinal fusion surgery
- CISH receives top ratings for spinal fusion surgery for 12 years in a row
[PHOENIX, AZ] – October 30, 2025 – The CORE Institute Specialty Hospital (CISH)announced today it has earned multiple five-star ratings from Healthgrades, the #1 site consumers use to find a hospital or doctor. CISH was rated five stars for 30 critical procedures and conditions, in spinal fusion surgery. These achievements reflect CISH’s commitment to consistently delivering the best care possible and place the organization in the upper echelon of hospitals for specialty care nationwide.
“At The CORE Institute Specialty Hospital, our mission has always been to deliver the highest level of specialty care possible for every patient we serve. Earning a five-star rating from Healthgrades reflects our team’s unwavering dedication to quality, safety, and innovation. From investing in advanced technology to continuously refining our clinical pathways, we’re committed to improving outcomes and helping our patients return to the active lives they love,” said Eric Tomlon, CEO at The CORE Institute Specialty Hospital.
CISH’s achievements are based solely on what matters most: patient outcomes. Each year, Healthgrades evaluates risk-adjusted mortality and complication rates for over 30 common conditions and procedures at approximately 4,500 hospitals nationwide to identify the top hospitals in key specialty areas, including spinal fusion surgery. Through easy-to-understand, objective measures of hospital performance, Healthgrades empowers patients with the information they need to find a hospital that excels in their procedure or condition.
As performance gaps persist between the nation’s highest- and lowest-achieving facilities, seeking care at a top program has never been more important. Healthgrades’ 2026 analysis revealed that if all hospitals, as a group, performed similarly to five-star hospitals during the 2022-2024 study period, on average, 230,466 lives could have been saved and 156,797 complications could have been avoided.*
“Healthgrades’ specialty awards identify the nation’s top-performing hospitals in key service areas, helping consumers find high quality care tailored to their specific needs,” said Alana Biggers, MD, MPH, medical advisor at Healthgrades. “We’re proud to recognize CISH for its consistently superior outcomes in key service areas, including spinal fusion surgery.”
Consumers can visit Healthgrades’ Specialty Excellence Patient Advocate Center to learn more about how Healthgrades identifies the top-performing hospitals for specialty care.
*Statistics are based on Healthgrades analysis of MedPAR data for years 2022 through 2024 and represent three-year estimates for Medicare patients only. Click here to view the complete 2026 Specialty Awards and Ratings Methodology.
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About The CORE Institute Specialty Hospital (CISH)
Our unique approach to patient care allows our physicians and staff to become experts in the most advanced orthopedic surgical procedures to ensure patients receive the best results for their conditions.
All we do is orthopedics. This singular focus means our physicians are among the best in Arizona, and with nurse-patient ratios lower than most hospitals, our staff can be more attentive and responsive to your needs. We are continually updating our technology to provide patients with the most advanced surgical techniques to address their orthopedic conditions and improve their quality of life.
The hospital is owned and managed by Healthcare Outcomes Performance Company (HOPCo), a physician-managed company focused on transforming the patient care experience and improving the practice of medicine. HOPCo uniquely manages orthopedic practices and hospital service lines across the country to enhance the experience for patients and physicians. Through management of the entire continuum of care, patients receive the right evidence-based care at the right time and in the right place. For more information, visit thecoreinstitutehospital.com.
About Healthcare Outcomes Performance Company (HOPCo)
Healthcare Outcomes Performance Company (HOPCo) is the global leader of integrated musculoskeletal value-based health outcomes management, digital analytics, practice management, and health system service line management. This includes comprehensive expertise across all MSK specialties, including orthopedics, spine, pain management, rehabilitation, neurosurgery, and neurology. HOPCo’s integrated care, analytics, and facilities development platforms have proven to increase the quality of patient care while reliably reducing the total cost of MSK care across the care continuum for practices, health systems and payors alike. HOPCo’s affiliated payors, practices and health systems successfully participate in highly efficient value-based contracting (bundled payments, population health programs, and other advanced risk-based arrangements) utilizing HOPCo’s proprietary platforms, IT solutions, digital patient-physician engagement tools, integrated analytics, advanced medical economics and standardized care pathways. Visit www.hopco.com to learn more.
About Healthgrades
Healthgrades is dedicated to empowering meaningful connections between patients, doctors, and hospitals. As the #1 platform for finding a doctor and a leader in healthcare transparency, we help millions of consumers each month find and schedule appointments with their healthcare professional of choice and prepare for their appointments with best-in-class, treatment-focused content.
For over 20 years, our health system, group practice, and life sciences marketing solutions have helped our partners reach and engage consumers on their way to the doctor.
Healthgrades is part of RVO Health, a partnership between Red Ventures and Optum, part of UnitedHealth Group. RVO Health has the largest consumer health and wellness audience online across its brand portfolio, including Healthgrades, Healthline, Medical News Today, Greatist, Psych Central and Bezzy, which touch every part of the health and wellness journey. RVO Health helps more than 100 million unique visitors live their strongest and healthiest lives each month.
Media Contact:
Annebeth Ahrenholz
Healthcare Outcomes Performance Company (HOPCo)
Communications Specialist
annebeth.ahrenholz@hopco.com