New Haven, CT (March 23, 2026) – Yale New Haven Hospital (YNHH) has earned the prestigious Magnet designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), placing it among approximately 10 percent of the more than 6,000 hospitals nationwide – and one of only seven in Connecticut – to achieve this distinguished honor. This recognition marks the hospital’s fourth Magnet designation, a rare accomplishment that signals sustained nursing excellence, organizational strength and a deep, ongoing commitment to superior patient care.
Magnet recognition represents the nation’s foremost benchmark for nursing excellence and remains an important indicator for how patients and the public assess healthcare organizations. U.S. News & World Report incorporates Magnet status into its evaluation of “America’s Best Hospitals,” highlighting its role in measuring the quality of inpatient care. Considered the highest honor a hospital can achieve in nursing, Magnet designation acknowledges organizations that consistently deliver exceptional patient care and advance professional nursing practice. As part of the rigorous review process, Magnet appraisers evaluate four key factors: the strength and empowerment of nursing leadership; and the innovative, evidence-based best practices nurses develop and share to support outstanding patient outcomes.
“Magnet is never given; it is earned and earning it four times reflects a level of excellence that isn’t episodic, it is who you are at your core,” said Courtney Vose, DNP, RN, chief nursing officer for YNHH. “Our nurses lead with love, with purpose and with a deep sense of accountability that elevates the care we deliver across our hospital.”
“Magnet is truly a recognition of what we already know our nurses are doing day in and day out,” said Katherine Heilpern, MD, president of YNHH. “Their dedication, their expertise and their unwavering commitment to our patients define the very best of who we are as a hospital.”
The Magnet Model serves as a national framework for nursing practice, research and the measurement of patient outcomes. Using this model, the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) evaluates hospitals across multiple components and performance dimensions to determine the depth and consistency of their nursing excellence. Achieving Magnet recognition requires organizations to complete a rigorous, multi-step process that includes an extensive electronic application, detailed documentation of patient care practices, an on-site appraisal and a final review by the Commission on Magnet Recognition. Magnet designation is awarded for a four-year period. Bridgeport Hospital and Greenwich Hospital have also earned this esteemed recognition.
“This accomplishment is more than a designation – it is a true reflection of our nurses’ skills, their dedication and the values that define Yale New Haven Hospital,” said Alan Friedman, MD, chief medical officer for YNHH. “Every day, our nurses bring expertise and compassion to the bedside, ensuring our patients’ care is grounded in excellence and humanity.”
Yale New Haven Hospital (YNHH), part of Yale New Haven Health, is a nationally recognized, 1,541-bed, not-for-profit hospital serving as the primary teaching hospital for the Yale School of Medicine (YSM). Founded as the fourth voluntary hospital in the U.S. in 1826, today, YNHH has two New Haven-based campuses, and also includes Yale New Haven Children's Hospital, Yale New Haven Psychiatric Hospital and Smilow Cancer Hospital. YNHH has received Magnet designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, the nation’s highest honor of nursing excellence. YNHH has a combined medical staff of about 4,500 university and community physicians practicing in more than 100 specialties. www.ynhh.org
