Sortpesso in the center of controversy, for endless waiting lists, personnel deficiencies, inequalities between north and south, Italian healthcare, described by its citizens does not seem to enjoy great trust. However, behind all these critical issues, there are points of excellence recognized internationally. They prove it The 41 Italian hospitals entered the list of World’s Best Specialized Hospitali 2026 of Newsweek, One of the most internationally followed ranking, built with the State Research Company. A ranking that is much more than a simple list, but rather A compass for patients, doctors and political decision makers.
Newsweek 2026: 41 Italian hospitals among the best in the world
This photograph that certainly reveals a system with lights and shadows, is at the same time a very important result because the role of Italy in global specialist medicine consolidates And returns an image of scientific excellence. Not without the challenge that remain constant: keeping standards so high in a public health system often under pressure and with great territorial imbalances.
Lombardy Queen of Italian Health
Lombardy leads the national rankinga region that has always been a nerve point of research and health care. Here 16 hospitals are concentrated awarded by Newsweekmany of which in Milan, a city that hosts institutions of excellence such as Ieo, The European Institute of Oncologyfounded by the oncologist Umberto Veronesi and today recognized internationally for innovative therapies against cancer, and the Monzino cardiological centerthe first Italian hospital entirely dedicated to the heart, born on the initiative of the Italian Foundation for Heart Research. Next to these, theIRCCS BESTAthe institute of scientific hospitalization and care, a world reference center for neurology and neurosurgery.
Rome and Lazio in second place
Lazio is immediately behind Lombardywith eight structures all concentrated in Rome. Among these emerge the University Polyclinic A. Gemelli IRCCSUniversity Hospital of the Gemelli University Polyclinic Foundation, third in the world for obstetrics and gynecology and tenth for gastroenterology, e The Bambino Gesù Pediatric Hospitalstructure of the Holy See, which is positioned sixth on a global level in pediatrics.
The World’s Best Specialized Hospital 2026 of Newsweek ranking inserts 41 among the best Italian structures (Getty)
Piedmont and Tuscany: widespread excellence
Piedmont brings four hospitals to the rankingthree of which in Turin and one in Candiolo, home of theIRCCS of Candiolo, avant -garde oncological center Supported by the Piedmontese Foundation for cancer research. Tuscany affirms itself with three structuresdistributed between Florence and Pisa, confirming the vitality of the regional health system.
The rest of Italy and the challenge of the South
The list also sees a hospital in the Marche And, in the south, Only two Neapolitan structuresas evidence of a geographical gap that still characterizes Italian health: excellence recognized internationally concentrated mainly in the north and in the center, while the South remains partly at the edge of this global competition.
Italy in the European and world confrontation
With 41 hospitals included in the ranking, Italy places itself in front of Spainwhich has 28 of structures, But behind giants like Francewhere the excellence are 66, Germany with 59 and the United Kingdom with 53. Worldwide, The United States remain unreachablewhich dominate with 173 hospitals included.
Italians in the world top 20
In addition to the overall numbers, The performances of individual Italian hospitals stand out who reach the world top 20 in their respective disciplines:
Policlinico Gemelli (Rome): 3rd place in obstetrics and gynecology, 10th in gastroenterology.
Child Jesus (Rome): 6th place in pediatrics.
European Institute of Oncology – IEO (Milan): 11th place in oncology.
Rizzoli Orthopedic Institute (Bologna): 11th place in Orthopedics.
Monzino Cardiological Center (Milan): 14th place in cardiology and 24th in cardiac surgery.
IRCCS BESTA (Milan): 14th place in neurology and 17th in neurosurgery.
A recognition but also a challenge
The result of the Newsweek 2026 ranking, which confirms the very high level of many Italian structures And the role of the country in international specialist medicine can only be a source of pride. It is true, however, that, It cannot be also a call to fill the territorial gaps, so that excellence does not remain the heritage of a few regionsbut it becomes a distinctive feature of the entire national health system.