LA PLATA — University of Maryland Charles Regional Medical Center has been named one of the nation’s 396 cleanest hospitals by Becker’s Hospital Review after receiving a 5-star cleanliness rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
UM Charles Regional is one of only three hospitals in Maryland to earn the distinction. The other two are Garrett Regional Medical Center in Oakland and Suburban Hospital in Bethesda.
The recognition, announced May 27, is based on results from the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey. Patients completed the standardized survey between July 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025. Nationwide, only 396 hospitals achieved the top 5-star rating for cleanliness.
“This recognition reflects the dedication and commitment of our entire team to providing a safe, comfortable and high-quality environment for every patient who walks through our doors,” said Albert Zanger, chief administrative officer of UM Charles Regional. “Cleanliness is an essential part of the patient experience and plays a critical role in patient safety, trust and overall care.”
The HCAHPS survey asks patients about their experiences during an inpatient stay, including a specific question on how often their room and bathroom were kept clean. CMS converts the responses into star ratings, with 5 stars representing the highest level of patient satisfaction on that measure.
UM Charles Regional Medical Center, located at 5 Garrett Avenue in La Plata, is a member of the University of Maryland Medical System. It provides general medical and surgical care to residents of Charles County and surrounding areas in southern Maryland. The hospital handles emergency services, inpatient care, outpatient procedures and specialty services as part of its role as the primary acute-care facility for the region.
Becker’s Hospital Review published the list of 396 hospitals May 14, drawing directly from the CMS Hospital Compare database. The list highlights facilities where patients reported the highest marks for environmental cleanliness. In the previous year’s list, 374 hospitals qualified; this year’s total rose by 22. Texas led with the most hospitals on the list, while Maryland placed three.
Patient-reported cleanliness ratings factor into broader hospital quality metrics that CMS uses for public reporting and value-based purchasing programs. High cleanliness scores are associated with lower risk of hospital-acquired infections and improved patient outcomes, according to federal health data.
The recognition comes without any change to the hospital’s overall CMS star rating or other quality measures. UM Charles Regional continues to serve a growing Charles County population, where access to reliable local care remains a priority.
No additional details on the hospital’s infection-control protocols or specific cleaning practices were released in the announcement. The Becker’s list does not rank hospitals against one another beyond the 5-star threshold.
Zanger’s statement emphasized the team effort behind the rating. The hospital’s environmental services staff, nursing teams and support personnel all contribute to maintaining the standards measured by the patient survey.
The CMS data is publicly available through the agency’s provider data portal. Hospitals submit survey results continuously, and CMS adjusts and reports them on a quarterly basis. The most recent cleanliness data reflects experiences of patients discharged during the 12-month period ending June 2025.
UM Charles Regional is the only hospital in Charles County to appear on the current Becker’s cleanest hospitals list. The distinction applies specifically to the cleanliness domain of the HCAHPS survey and does not reflect other aspects of care such as surgical outcomes or readmission rates.
