Forbes Gives These 4 Idaho Hospitals Perfect 5-Star Ratings in 2026

If there’s one thing that every Idahoan can agree on, it’s that nobody wants to find themselves in the hospital but sometimes things like broken bones, maternity care, screenings and severe illnesses make a hospital visit inevitable. 

Idaho is Experiencing Very High Levels of Flu Driving More Hospital Visits

Unfortunately, when it comes to the latter, Idaho’s seeing a spike in the number of hospital visits due to influenza this flu season. In the week ending December 27, 2025, five of Idaho’s seven health districts are reporting “very high” levels of flu-like illnesses. The same week, those illnesses were responsible for 11.5% of emergency department or urgent care visits in the state. That’s the highest level in the last four years. 

READ MORE: 3 Idaho Hospitals at Risk Due to Medicaid Cuts

Earlier this week, Central District Health told KTVB that a strain called “Subclade K” is making the rounds. This year’s flu shot wasn’t a good match against the strain, so people are experiencing more severe symptoms if they get sick. 

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Luckily, should you find yourself sick enough to visit the hospital, there are some excellent choices across the state. 

Forbes Releases List of Top Hospitals for 2026

After evaluating more than 2,500 acute care hospitals across America, Forbes released their very first list of the Top Hospitals. These facilities were evaluated in four major categories: clinical outcomes (like mortality rates, surgical infections and readmissions,) best practices (following proven protocols in the healthcare industry,) value (efficiency and cost-effectiveness of care) and patient experience (what patients reported about their care, communication with staff and info provided for recovery.) 

Around 10% of the facilities on the list achieved an overall five-star rating. Four of those were in Idaho. 

Which Idaho Hospitals Made the List?

Forbes included a total of seven Idaho hospitals on the list. Here’s a look at the top performers. 

West Valley Medical Center (Caldwell)

• Overall: 5-Stars 
• Outcomes: 5-Stars 
• Best Practices: 5-Stars 
• Value: 4-Stars 
• Patient Experience: 5-Stars

St. Luke’s Wood River Medical Center (Ketchum)

• Overall: 5-Stars
• Outcomes: 4-Stars
• Best Practices: 4-Stars
• Value: 4-Stars
• Patient Experience: 5-Stars

St. Luke’s Magic Valley Medical Center (Twin Falls)

• Overall: 5-Stars
• Outcomes: 5-Stars
• Best Practices: 3-Stars
• Value: 5-Stars
• Patient Experience: 3-Stars

Kootenai Health (Coeur d’Alene)

• Overall: 5-Stars
• Outcomes: 5-Stars
• Best Practices: 4-Stars
• Value: 3-Stars
• Patient Experience: 4-Stars

Author’s Note: The Forbes list’s methodology is completely different from the Leapfrog study we told you about last fall. Leapfrog’s study focused primarily on patient safety. To see the list of Idaho hospitals that ranked at the top of their list, click HERE.