Oak Street Health, a national network of primary care centers and part of CVS Health, has announced that 11 of its practicing physicians have been named to Castle Connolly's 2026 Top Doctor List. The company also ranks among the top three primary care practices in Illinois for the number of Castle Connolly Top Doctors and has been named a 2026 Castle Connolly Center of Excellence. These distinctions underscore the organization's dedication to clinical excellence and its leadership within the regional medical community.
The recognized physicians include Aarti Agarwal, MD (Elizabeth, NJ); Deborah L. Edberg, MD (Chicago, IL); Taryn Lee, MD (Cleveland, OH); Rebecca Levine, MD (Chicago, IL); Sonal S. Mehr, MD (Memphis, TN); Kaya Oyejide, MD (Philadelphia, PA); Sheetal Patel, MD (Memphis, TN); Rene Roberts, MD (Chicago, IL); Melissa G. Schiffman, MD (Wyncote, PA); Mallory M. Smith, MD (North Little Rock, AR); and Vanessa R. Sohn, MD (Harwood Heights, IL).
Castle Connolly Top Doctors are selected through a peer review nomination process, where tens of thousands of licensed doctors nominate their peers. A physician-led research team then vets candidates based on credentials, disciplinary history, patient outcomes, and bedside manner. Doctors cannot pay to be selected.
Creagh Milford, DO, MPH, President of Oak Street Health, expressed pride in the recognition, stating, 'We are proud to see 11 Oak Street Health providers recognized among the top physicians in the United States. This distinction reflects their unwavering commitment to delivering high-quality, value-based primary care for older adults.'
Oak Street Health delivers personalized, preventive primary care through a model designed specifically for older adults. The integrated model incorporates behavioral healthcare and social determinants support, along with a 24/7 patient support line. The organization is dedicated to making a positive impact in the communities it serves by hiring locally and investing resources to support those communities.
The recognition as a Castle Connolly Center of Excellence further validates Oak Street Health's approach, which focuses on quality of care over volume of services. The organization assumes full financial risk for its patients, aligning incentives toward better health outcomes. Oak Street Health currently operates 230 centers across 27 states and is the only primary care provider to carry the AARP name. It accepts all forms of Medicare, including Original Medicare Part B, select Medicare Advantage plans, Medicare Supplement plans, and Medicare-Medicaid Plans.
For older adults and their families, this news matters because it highlights a primary care network that is consistently recognized for clinical excellence. Patients seeking high-quality, value-based care can look to Oak Street Health as a trusted provider. The Castle Connolly designation serves as a reliable indicator of physician quality, helping patients make informed choices about their healthcare. As the healthcare industry continues to shift toward value-based models, Oak Street Health's recognition reinforces the effectiveness of its approach in delivering better outcomes for older adults.
