Insight into the list

The U.S. healthcare system is currently struggling with rising costs of services, prescription drugs, and health insurance, as well as looming federal cuts to Medicaid and Medicare — all of which is severely straining both healthcare providers and patients.

"What's happened is that we've designed a U.S. healthcare system that's taken the humanity out of the profession and created an overworked, silenced healthcare workforce who is always trying to do the right thing by their patients often at their own health expense," said Tina Shah, a practicing critical care physician in New Jersey who is running for Congress.

According to Shah, hospitals and health systems can have a major frontline impact if they provide their staff with adequate support. "Employers play a big role in this," she said, noting that "a good employer recognizes that these are elite athletes—these doctors, nurses, physical therapists, etcetera—and employers need to treat these incredible athletes as folks that they need to protect."

The top 10 healthcare employers

In total, 250 organizations across the United States earned recognition, offering a snapshot of where healthcare professionals say they feel best supported in an industry under historic pressure.

These organizations ranked at the top:

1. Shriners Hospitals for Children (Tampa, FL)
2. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (Memphis, TN)
3. Community Health Network (Indianapolis, IN)
4. Children's Hospital Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA)
5. Cincinnati Children's (Cincinnati, OH)
6. Children's Healthcare of Atlanta (Atlanta, GA)
7. St. Luke's University Health Network (Bethlehem, PA)
8. FirstHealth of the Carolinas (Pinehurst, NC)
9. Cook Children's Health Care System (Fort Worth, TX)
10. Houston Methodist (Houston, TX)

See the other 240 organizations that earned a spot on Forbes' inaugural ranking in the full list.