Recognizing the top 7% of physicians and the healthcare organizations setting the standard for clinical excellence in 2026
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK / ACCESS Newswire / January 23, 2026 / Castle Connolly this week announced the release of the 2026 Top Doctors, Rising Stars, and Accolades recognizing the nation's top physicians and healthcare organizations across the country.
The 2026 Castle Connolly Top Doctors list recognizes the top 7% of physicians nationwide. With over 1.1 million practicing doctors in the United States, Castle Connolly carefully curated its list of more than 72,000 board-certified U.S. physicians, across all 50 states and 85 medical specialties.
Castle Connolly Top Doctors are selected through a rigorous process that is based on peer nominations, professional achievements, and excellence in patient care. These doctors exemplify the highest standards of expertise and integrity, giving patients the confidence and guidance to make informed healthcare decisions. The recognition methodology has been vetted and endorsed by the Castle Connolly Medical Advisory Board.
The 2026 Castle Connolly Rising Stars recognizes early-career physicians who have demonstrated outstanding accomplishments and dedication to the field of medicine. Nominated by their peers, these doctors are emerging leaders in the medical community, with clear contributions to the advancement of healthcare through clinical care, research, community service, education and leadership.
The 2026 Castle Connolly Accolades honors health systems, hospitals, and physician practices that provide an outstanding level of high-quality healthcare through their top-ranked Castle Connolly Top Doctors. Castle Connolly Accolades are awarded to institutions based on the number of Top Doctors nationwide, by state, and across major metropolitan areas.
As Castle Connolly announces its annual lists for 2026, the role of trusted physicians has never been more important. Recent research conducted by Castle Connolly underscores a growing challenge in U.S. healthcare: trust is eroding, and it's directly affecting patient behavior. Only one in four consumers report having a "great deal" of trust in doctors today, while nearly half say they delayed or avoided medical care in the past year. Importantly, this hesitation is driven by the difficulty of finding the right physician-highlighting how trust and access have become critical barriers to care.
The research also points to the role of trusted, third-party recognition in helping patients navigate their healthcare decisions. While awareness of physician awards remains moderate, more than half of consumers say such rankings have influenced their choice of doctor. 65% report that a "Top Doctor" designation is an influential factor-underscoring how credible recognition can help restore confidence in an uncertain healthcare environment.
"Patients today face a complex healthcare landscape, and finding the right physician can feel overwhelming," said Steve Leibforth, Managing Director of Castle Connolly. "The Top Doctor recognition represents more than an honor-it's a mark of trust, signaling to patients that these physicians have earned recognition from their peers for clinical expertise, compassionate care, and professional excellence. In an era of uncertainty, that assurance matters more than ever."
To further help patients find high-quality care, Castle Connolly will be announcing the 2026 Castle Connolly Top Hospitals on March 4th, recognizing healthcare institutions that provide exceptional patient care and outcomes, ranking among the best nationally, statewide, and in metro areas for their performance in specific medical procedures, specialties, and overall excellence.
About Castle Connolly
With over 35 years' experience researching, reviewing and selecting Top Doctors, Castle Connolly is a highly trusted and credible source. A study published in the Journal of Medical Research found that across several specialties evidence indicates that Castle Connolly's peer-reviewed directory is methodologically more reliable than sites that just relied on patient reviews when it came to identifying quality care. Our mission is to help people find the best healthcare by connecting patients with best-in-class healthcare providers. For more information, visit https://www.castleconnolly.com.
About the Everyday Health Group
The Everyday Health Group is a leading Pharma Commercialization, Digital Health & Wellness, and Provider Solutions Company for Life Sciences, Hospitals and Health Systems, Health Care Providers (HCPs), and health-seeking Consumers. Our mission is to drive better clinical and health outcomes through decision-making informed by highly relevant information, data and analytics. We empower healthcare providers and consumers with trusted content and services delivered through the Everyday Health Group's world-class brands.
Everyday Health Group is a division of Ziff Davis. (NASDAQ:ZD).
Contact Information
Caroline Baron
Senior Director
publicrelations@castleconnolly.com
(212) 367-8400
SOURCE: Castle Connolly
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:
https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/publishing-and-media/castle-connolly-releases-castle-connolly-2026-top-doctors-rising-stars-and-acc-1130049
