Scripps Health once again leads San Diego County in statewide hospital rankings, earning top recognition from Cal Hospital Compare (CHC) on its 2025 Healthcare Organizations Leading SUD Care Honor Roll.

All four of Scripps’ acute-care hospitals (Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla, Scripps Green Hospital, Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas, and Scripps Mercy Hospital) achieved placement in CHC’s top “sustained superior performance” category. This tier recognizes hospitals that achieve superior results for at least two consecutive years, underscoring Scripps’ consistent leadership in substance use disorder (SUD) services.

Initially launched in 2019 as the Opioid Care Honor Roll, CHC’s program recognized hospitals for promoting safe opioid use and connecting patients to treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD). In 2025, the initiative expanded its focus to include broader SUD issues such as alcohol use disorder (AUD) and adopted a new name to reflect its statewide impact.

“Working on the front lines, we see the impact that substance use disorders have on personal health, so it’s critical that we continually improve our efforts to provide safety guidance and access to care,” said Chris Van Gorder, Scripps Health President and CEO. “We’re proud of our teams’ ongoing leadership in mapping out pathways to positive change.”

Scripps earned recognition for implementing comprehensive strategies to improve SUD care — reducing high-dose opioid prescriptions, expanding non-opioid pain management options such as aromatherapy and music therapy, and launching medication-assisted therapy programs in its emergency departments. These programs help patients receive immediate care and connect them to community treatment providers.

The health system has also piloted alcohol use disorder screenings and added fentanyl testing to its standard emergency department drug panels, ensuring timely identification and intervention for patients in need.

CHC’s 2025 statewide SUD honor roll included 133 participating hospitals across California, with 33 earning sustained superior performance status.

A nonprofit formerly known as the California Hospital Assessment Task Force, Cal Hospital Compare provides free, objective hospital performance ratings to help Californians make informed health care decisions.