Knapp Medical Center Recieves 5 Stars in Medical Ratings

WESLACO, May 2026 – Knapp Medical Center in Weslaco, a member of the Prime Healthcare Foundation, is the only hospital in the Rio Grande Valley to receive a 5-star rating in the latest hospital ratings from the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

In fact, Knapp Medical Center is the only hospital in all of South Texas, south of San Antonio, to receive the 5-star rating.

The 5-star rating is the highest possible rating (on a scale of one to five) -- and reflects exceptional quality care being provided to South Texas patients by physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals at Knapp Medical Center.

The award-winning care and dedication of physicians and employees at Knapp Medical Center also recently resulted in the hospital receiving several other national recognitions, including:

• Named as one of the 100 Top Hospitals in the nation, according to an independent quality analysis conducted by Premier, Inc. and published by Modern Healthcare magazine
• Recognized for 5-star care for top patient outcomes by a national business magazine, Forbes
• “A” grade for patient safety, for the second time in a row, from the Leapfrog Group, a national healthcare organization
• 5-star awards for treatment of hip fracture (for 14 years in a row, 2013-2026); treatment of diabetic emergencies (for four years in a row, 2023-2026); and treatment of heart attack (for 3 years in a row, 2024-2026); from Healthgrades, a national company which specializes in research and information about healthcare

The overall star rating for the CMS ratings is determined by how well a hospital performs across different areas of quality -- such as treating heart attacks and pneumonia, readmission rates, and safety of care.

Rene J. Lopez, MD, FACHE, RRT, CEO for Knapp Medical Center, said Knapp’s 5-star rating is a testament to the work of employees and physicians -- who are dedicated to providing “the highest-quality healthcare to residents of the Rio Grande Valley, every patient, every time.”

“The 5-star rating Knapp Medical Center has received from CMS indicates the level of commitment our employees have in ensuring our patients receive safe, high-quality, compassionate, and personalized care,” Mr. Lopez said.

Pablo Loredo, Chief Nursing Officer for Knapp Medical Center, said Knapp’s outstanding rating helps demonstrate the excellent care that is being provided to patients at Knapp -- and is an important factor for residents to recognize when they weigh their healthcare options.

“This recognition is a by-product of the standards we’ve set for ourselves: reduce variation, execute consistently, and hold the line on patient safety and quality,” Mr. Loredo added. “When those expectations are met every day, outcomes improve, and that’s exactly what we’re seeing.”

Nation-wide, out of more than 4,000 hospitals, only 384 hospitals achieved the highest rating in the federal government’s “Overall Hospital Quality Star Ratings”. This places Knapp Medical Center among the top 10% of hospitals in the nation.

Several other Prime Healthcare hospitals also did very well in the star ratings, including Knapp’s sister hospitals, Harlingen Medical Center and Mission Regional Medical Center, who achieved 4-star ratings.

The hospital star ratings are available to the public on the “Hospital Compare” website (https://www.medicare.gov/care-compare/?redirect=true&providerType=Hospital).

For more information on award-winning patient care in the Rio Grande Valley, please visit www.KnappMed.org.