The ratings, which assess hospital performance, are based on 57 quality measurements that fall into categories such as patient experience, mortality and readmissions for treatment of common conditions. Of the 3,725 U.S. hospitals included in the assessment, only 293 -- about 8 percent -- earned five stars.

Found on Medicare's Hospital Compare website, the ratings range from one to five stars and are meant to provide consumers with an easily understandable way to compare hospital performance. This year's top honor for Cedars-Sinai was driven by continued strong performance in mortality measures and improvements in readmissions and patient experience.

"These high rankings reflect Cedars-Sinai's continued focus on improving patient safety wherever possible and providing excellent care, " said Rekha Murthy, MD, vice president of Medical Affairs and acting chief medical officer. As an example, she pointed to ongoing work in the Emergency Department to reduce wait times by getting incoming patients to needed care as quickly as possible. She also highlighted sustained gains in preventing healthcare associated infections.

"The professionals working here every day taking care of our patients are simply focused on doing their very best," Murthy said. "While it’s nice to be recognized for high performance, Cedars-Sinai is focused on providing our staff with the support they need to continue providing excellent care."

To learn more about the measures Cedars-Sinai takes to deliver high-quality care, click here.