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Madrid public hospitals rise in the world ranking and strengthen their standing in the city
Three Madrid hospitals lead Spanish healthcare in Newsweek's international list. The improvement in the ranking affects thousands of families and sets a trend in healthcare in the capital.
Life in Madrid revolves around its hospitals more than it may seem. This year, three of the city's public centres —La Paz, 12 de Octubre and Gregorio Marañón— have risen in Newsweek's world ranking, placing among the best on the planet. For those who live in the capital, this recognition is not just a fact: it affects the confidence with which they attend an appointment, families' peace of mind and the perception of Madrid's public healthcare system.
Of the 250 hospitals most highly rated globally, seven are public and from Madrid. La Paz is in 42nd place, 12 de Octubre in 50th and Gregorio Marañón in 118th. Further down the list, but also rising, are Ramón y Cajal, Clínico San Carlos, Fundación Jiménez Díaz and Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda. The latter enters the ranking for the first time, while the rest improve their position compared with last year.
The most notable advance is by Ramón y Cajal, which rises 45 places. Fundación Jiménez Díaz improves by 30 positions, Clínico San Carlos advances by 12, Gregorio Marañón by eight and La Paz by seven. 12 de Octubre also progresses, although more modestly, gaining two places. Almost 60% of the Spanish hospitals highlighted by Newsweek belong to Madrid's public network, a fact that reinforces the city's role as a healthcare benchmark.
For those who cross the city by metro or bus for a medical appointment, these results may seem remote, but they end up affecting the quality of care and hospitals' ability to attract talent and resources. Madrid is already beginning to move in that direction, with centres that not only deal with emergencies but also set trends in research and treatments.
La Paz, for example, is much more than a reference hospital. Its history is linked to the city's evolution and to generations of people from Madrid who have passed through its corridors. Located in the north, near major transport hubs, it has grown at the pace of the neighbourhoods and become a meeting point for professionals from across Spain. Its capacity to adapt to change and its commitment to innovation partly explain the international recognition it now receives.