Dive Brief:
- U.S. News & World Report released its 12th annual list of best children’s hospitals, spotlighting the top 50 centers in the U.S. for pediatric medical care.
- Ranking first for the fourth straight year is Boston Children’s Hospital. Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center moved up from third place in 2017 to second place this year, switching places with Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Rounding out the top five performers are Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston and Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C.
- The list also highlights the top 50 hospitals in 10 pediatric specialties, including cancer, neonatology and orthopedics.
Dive Insight:
To earn a spot on the top 50 list, hospitals must perform at the highest level in at least three specialty areas. Researchers at RTI International looked at clinical outcomes and infection control, a hospital’s reputation, commitment to patient safety, excellence (such as the number of fellowship programs) and family-centeredness.
Boston Children’s Hospital also ranked first in three of the 10 specialties: neurology/neurosurgery, nephrology and orthopedics. The hospital placed second in cardiology and heart surgery, diabetes and endocrinology, and gastroenterology and GI surgery.
Cincinnati Children’s nabbed the top spot for cancer and gastroenterology/GI surgery, while Children’s of Philadelphia was tops in diabetes/endocrinology and urology.
In terms of location, California has the most top-performing children’s hospitals with eight on this year’s list. New York and Florida are next, with seven each, followed by Ohio with six and Texas and Illinois, each with five. Other states with strong showings include North Carolina (four), Michigan (four), Virginia (three), Pennsylvania (three) and Tennessee (three).
Other hospitals that made the top 10 honor roll are Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, Johns Hopkins Children’s Center in Baltimore, Children’s Hospital Colorado in Aurora, and Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago.