The annual ratings allow patients to gauge medical care quality and can provide motivation for hospitals to improve. The two South Dakota hospitals rated 2 stars in 2026 were Avera St. Mary's in Pierre and Huron Regional Medical Center. Tim Rave, CEO of the South Dakota Association of Healthcare Organizations, declined to comment on any individual hospital's rating. But he called the ratings "an important benchmark" and added they are far from the only metric hospitals and the public should use to evaluate the quality of patient care. Avera St. Mary's Hospital is the primary health care provider in Pierre, S.D.