Comprehensive guide to Delaware hospitals including ChristianaCare (ranked #1 in state), trauma centers, specialty care facilities, and regional hospitals serving all three counties. Delaware ranks #1 in the nation for hospital quality according to U.S. News & World Report.
U.S. News & World Report evaluated 16 hospitals in Delaware, with ChristianaCare leading the state as the #1-ranked hospital and Beebe Healthcare following at #2:
📍 Newark & Wilmington
Ranked #1 in Delaware and tied for #5 in the greater Philadelphia region (home to 80+ hospitals). Named to U.S. News & World Report 2024-2025 Best Hospitals as High Performing hospital for 13 conditions and two procedures - the highest distinction possible.
Christiana Hospital: 1039-bed facility in Newark
Wilmington Hospital: 321-bed facility at 501 W. 14th St, Wilmington
Main Phone: (302) 733-1000
📍 Lewes & Millville
Ranked #2 in Delaware by U.S. News & World Report. Recognized as "High Performing" in seven specialized areas including colon cancer surgery, diabetes, heart attacks, hip and knee replacements, lung cancer surgery, and pneumonia - the top honor achievable in these rankings.
Lewes Emergency: (302) 645-3289 (24/7)
South Coastal Emergency: (302) 291-6900 (24/7)
Website: beebehealthcare.org
📍 Seaford
Newsweek ranks TidalHealth Nanticoke #2 in Delaware. Award-winning nonprofit community hospital providing comprehensive care to Sussex County and surrounding areas.
Main Hospital: (302) 629-6611
Medical Records: (410) 543-7075
Website: tidalhealth.org
📍 Dover & Milford
Continually ranked as best emergency room in Delaware. Nationally recognized for heart bypass and hip replacement surgeries. Two-hospital system serving central and southern Delaware with 316 total beds.
Service Area: Kent and Sussex Counties
Website: bayhealth.org
Northern Delaware's most populous county features the state's largest concentration of hospitals and medical facilities, anchored by the ChristianaCare system and specialized care centers:
📍 Newark, DE
Delaware's only Level I Trauma Center, verified by the American College of Surgeons. The only Level I facility on the East Coast corridor between Baltimore and Philadelphia. A 1,039-bed, 1.3-million-square-foot modern facility serving as a Regional Resource Trauma Center.
System: ChristianaCare Health System
Contact: (302) 733-1000
📍 501 W. 14th St, Wilmington, DE 19801
321-bed, 622,100-square-foot facility serving as ChristianaCare's corporate headquarters. Full-service acute care hospital in downtown Wilmington.
Phone: (302) 733-1000
System: ChristianaCare Health System
📍 1600 Rockland Rd, Wilmington, DE 19803
Nationally ranked in 8 pediatric specialties by U.S. News & World Report. Delaware's only pediatric Level I Trauma Center. Advanced outpatient diagnostic services, therapy and rehabilitation, primary care and specialty care in more than 30 medical areas.
Website: nemours.org
Specialties: 30+ medical areas including gastroenterology, neurology, neurosurgery, ENT
📍 701 N Clayton St, Wilmington, DE 19805
Founded in 1924 by the Sisters of Saint Francis of Philadelphia. Provides general medical and surgical services with behavioral health specialty focus.
Behavioral Center: 1400 Delaware Ave Ste 1A, Wilmington, DE 19806
Specialty: Psychiatry and behavioral health
📍 Elkton, MD (serving Delaware region)
ChristianaCare's third hospital campus serving northeastern Maryland and Delaware border communities. Part of the integrated ChristianaCare system.
Service Area: Cecil County, MD and northern New Castle County, DE
System: ChristianaCare Health System
Central Delaware's capital region features Bayhealth Medical Center's Kent Campus and additional emergency facilities serving the state's second-most populous county:
📍 Dover, DE (State Capital)
266-bed hospital offering quality healthcare since 1927. Features 24-hour emergency department with Level III Trauma Center designation. Nationally recognized for heart bypass and hip replacement surgeries.
System: Bayhealth Medical Center
Website: bayhealth.org
📍 Smyrna, DE
Standalone emergency center providing 24-hour emergency care for northern Kent County residents. Full emergency services with transfer agreements to Kent Campus for inpatient admissions.
Southern Delaware's coastal and agricultural region features three major hospital systems providing comprehensive care to residents and beach visitors:
📍 424 Savannah Road, Lewes, DE 19958
Main campus of Beebe Healthcare, ranked #2 in Delaware. Level III Trauma Center with 24/7 emergency department. Serves Sussex County's eastern coastal region including Rehoboth Beach, Dewey Beach, and Lewes.
Main Number: (302) 645-3300
System: Beebe Healthcare
📍 32750 Roxana Rd, Millville, DE 19967
Modern 24/7 emergency facility serving southern coastal Sussex County. Opened to expand emergency care access for rapidly growing beach communities.
System: Beebe Healthcare
Important: For medical emergencies, always dial 911
📍 Milford, DE
Opened February 2019, replacing Milford Memorial Hospital. Modern 152-bed facility with all private rooms delivering exceptional patient experience. Features 24-hour emergency department with Level III Trauma Center.
System: Bayhealth Medical Center (316 total beds across both campuses)
Website: bayhealth.org
📍 801 Middleford Road, Seaford, DE 19973
Newsweek ranks TidalHealth Nanticoke #2 in Delaware. Award-winning nonprofit community hospital serving western Sussex County and Maryland border region with comprehensive medical and surgical services.
System: TidalHealth (partnership with Nemours)
Website: tidalhealth.org
Sussex County's three hospital systems provide comprehensive geographic coverage:
Delaware's healthcare is anchored by four major integrated health systems providing coordinated care across the state:
Delaware's largest health system ranked #1 in the state
Main Phone: (302) 733-1000
Website: christianacare.org
Ranked #2 in Delaware, serving Sussex County coastal and communities
Lewes Emergency: (302) 645-3289 (24/7)
South Coastal Emergency: (302) 291-6900 (24/7)
Website: beebehealthcare.org
Serving central and southern Delaware with two hospital campuses
Website: bayhealth.org
Regional system serving Delaware-Maryland border region
Main Hospital: 801 Middleford Road, Seaford, DE 19973
Phone: (302) 629-6611
Website: tidalhealth.org
Delaware operates an inclusive statewide trauma system where every acute care hospital participates in providing emergency and trauma care:
Delaware has one Level I Trauma Center providing the highest level of comprehensive trauma care:
Contact: (302) 733-1000
Service Area: All of Delaware plus neighboring regions of PA, MD, NJ
Three hospitals designated as Level III Trauma Centers providing prompt assessment, resuscitation, and emergency surgery:
Level III centers provide prompt trauma care with transfer agreements to Christiana Hospital Level I center for cases requiring higher-level resources.
Nemours Children's Hospital, Delaware - Wilmington
Delaware features specialized medical facilities providing focused care in pediatrics, rehabilitation, and other disciplines:
📍 1600 Rockland Rd, Wilmington, DE 19803
Delaware's premier pediatric hospital nationally ranked in 8 specialties. Provides comprehensive pediatric care from primary care to complex specialty services across 30+ medical areas.
Website: nemours.org
Delaware provides specialized behavioral health and psychiatric services through dedicated facilities across the state:
📍 701 N Clayton St, Wilmington, DE 19805
Provides behavioral health services along with general medical and surgical care. Founded 1924 by the Sisters of Saint Francis of Philadelphia.
If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis:
Call 911 immediately for:
Delaware's statewide trauma system will route you to the appropriate facility based on your condition and location.
Delaware's coastal hospitals prepare for increased summer volume:
ChristianaCare Hospitals is ranked #1 in Delaware by U.S. News & World Report and tied for #5 in the greater Philadelphia region (which has 80+ hospitals). ChristianaCare has been named to the 2024-2025 Best Hospitals list as High Performing for 13 conditions and two procedures - the highest distinction a hospital can earn.
The system includes Christiana Hospital (1,039 beds in Newark, Delaware's only Level I Trauma Center) and Wilmington Hospital (321 beds). ChristianaCare is recognized for high performance in aortic valve surgery, COPD, gynecological cancer surgery, heart attack, heart bypass surgery, hip replacement, knee replacement, leukemia/lymphoma/myeloma, lung cancer surgery, and prostate cancer surgery.
Other top-ranked Delaware hospitals include Beebe Healthcare (#2, High Performing in 7 specialties), TidalHealth Nanticoke (#2 by Newsweek), and Bayhealth Medical Center (best emergency rooms in Delaware). Delaware ranks #1 in the nation for overall hospital quality according to U.S. News "Best States" rankings.
Christiana Hospital in Newark, Delaware is the state's only Level I Trauma Center. It is verified by the American College of Surgeons and is the only Level I trauma facility on the East Coast corridor between Baltimore and Philadelphia.
This 1,039-bed, 1.3-million-square-foot modern facility serves as Delaware's Regional Resource Trauma Center, providing comprehensive trauma care with a full complement of specialists available 24/7, immediate surgery capability, and commitment to trauma research and education.
Delaware also has three Level III Trauma Centers: Beebe Healthcare in Lewes, Bayhealth Hospital Kent Campus in Dover, and Bayhealth Hospital Sussex Campus in Milford. Nemours Children's Hospital in Wilmington serves as Delaware's only Pediatric Regional Resource Trauma Center. Contact: (302) 733-1000.
Beebe Healthcare serves Delaware's popular coastal beach communities through two 24/7 emergency facilities:
Margaret H. Rollins Lewes Campus (main hospital) at 424 Savannah Road, Lewes, DE 19958 - Emergency: (302) 645-3289. Level III Trauma Center serving Lewes, Rehoboth Beach, Dewey Beach, and eastern Sussex County.
South Coastal Emergency Department at 32750 Roxana Rd, Millville, DE 19967 - Emergency: (302) 291-6900. Modern 24/7 emergency facility serving Millville, Bethany Beach, Fenwick Island, Ocean View, and South Bethany.
Both facilities scale up staffing and capacity during summer beach season when Delaware's coastal population swells with millions of visitors. Beebe Healthcare is ranked #2 in Delaware by U.S. News & World Report and High Performing in 7 specialties including heart attacks, hip/knee replacements, and pneumonia. For medical emergencies, always dial 911.
Delaware has approximately 16-19 hospitals and medical facilities, according to various sources. U.S. News & World Report evaluated 16 hospitals in Delaware for their 2024-2025 Best Hospitals rankings.
Major acute care hospitals include:
Specialty facilities include: Behavioral health hospitals (Delaware Psychiatric Center, Dover Behavioral Health, Meadow Wood), rehabilitation centers (Encompass Health Middletown), and specialty care centers. Delaware ranks #1 in the nation for hospital quality according to U.S. News & World Report "Best States" rankings.
Nemours Children's Hospital, Delaware at 1600 Rockland Rd, Wilmington, DE 19803 is Delaware's premier pediatric hospital, nationally ranked in 8 pediatric specialties by U.S. News & World Report.
Top specialties include:
Nemours is designated as Delaware's only Pediatric Level I Trauma Center (Pediatric Regional Resource Trauma Center), specializing in pediatric emergency and trauma care.
The hospital provides advanced outpatient diagnostic services, therapy and rehabilitation, primary care, and specialty care. 24/7 pediatric nurse support is available anytime to answer questions and help manage your child's symptoms. Visit nemours.org for appointments and information.
Dover and Kent County are served by Bayhealth Medical Center's Kent Campus, a 266-bed hospital that has been providing quality healthcare since 1927.
Key features: 24-hour emergency department with Level III Trauma Center designation, nationally recognized for heart bypass and hip replacement surgeries, continually ranked as best emergency room in Delaware. Location: Dover, DE (state capital).
Additional facilities: Bayhealth also operates the Bayhealth Emergency Center in Smyrna, a freestanding 24/7 emergency department serving northern Kent County residents in Smyrna, Clayton, and surrounding areas. The Smyrna facility provides full emergency services with transfer agreements to Kent Campus for inpatient admissions.
Kent County also has Dover Behavioral Health System providing psychiatric and behavioral health services. Website: bayhealth.org
ChristianaCare Hospitals (Christiana and Wilmington) are High Performing in 13 conditions and 2 procedures according to U.S. News & World Report:
Beebe Healthcare (Lewes) is High Performing in 7 specialties:
Bayhealth Medical Center (Dover and Milford) is nationally recognized for:
Nemours Children's Hospital (Wilmington) is nationally ranked in 8 pediatric specialties including world-class pediatric orthopedics, award-winning cancer care, and top pediatric heart center. For emergency care, always call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.
Delaware ranks #1 in the United States for hospital quality according to U.S. News & World Report "Best States" rankings. Delaware rose to the top spot in 2025, up from second place in 2024.
What this means: U.S. News evaluated Delaware hospitals across 71 metrics in eight categories and praised the state for high performance in cancer care, joint replacements, and treatment of organ failure. The organization assessed 16 hospitals in Delaware for the rankings.
Individual hospital achievements:
This recognition reflects Delaware's commitment to quality healthcare across the state's small geographic area, making high-quality medical care accessible to all residents regardless of location.
Yes. Most Delaware hospitals accept major insurance plans from all states, including residents of Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and other states.
ChristianaCare Health System explicitly serves Delaware and neighboring regions of Pennsylvania, Maryland, and New Jersey. The system's location along the I-95 corridor and designation as the only Level I Trauma Center between Baltimore and Philadelphia means it regularly treats patients from multiple states.
Beach visitors: Beebe Healthcare in Lewes and Millville serves millions of beach visitors annually from across the United States and internationally, with extensive experience handling out-of-state insurance.
Recommendations:
Contact hospitals directly for specific insurance questions: ChristianaCare (302) 733-1000, Beebe Healthcare (302) 645-3300, Bayhealth and TidalHealth websites have insurance information.
Christiana Hospital in Newark is the largest hospital in Delaware with 1,039 beds in a 1.3-million-square-foot modern facility. It is Delaware's only Level I Trauma Center and serves as a Regional Resource Trauma Center.
By health system size: ChristianaCare Health System is Delaware's largest healthcare system with 1,100+ beds across three hospital campuses:
ChristianaCare is ranked #1 in Delaware by U.S. News & World Report and tied for #5 in the greater Philadelphia region (home to 80+ hospitals). The system serves Delaware and neighboring regions of Pennsylvania, Maryland, and New Jersey.
Other major hospitals by bed count: Bayhealth Kent Campus (266 beds in Dover), Bayhealth Sussex Campus (152 beds in Milford opened 2019). Main phone: (302) 733-1000. Website: christianacare.org
Last updated on November 24, 2025