Cincinnati Children’s Makes US News’ America’s Best Children’s Hospitals Honor Roll

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center is one of only 10 pediatric hospitals in the United States to be included on the Honor Roll in U.S. News’ 2009 edition of America’s Best Children’s Hospitals.

This is the first year U.S. News ranks hospitals by quality of specialty services, not pediatrics in general. Cincinnati Children’s is the only hospital in Ohio to make the Honor Roll.

The honor roll features only those hospitals ranked in all 10 specialties: cancer, diabetes and endocrine disorders, digestive disorders, heart and heart surgery, kidney disorders, neonatal care, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopedics, respiratory disorders and urology.

Cincinnati Children’s is ranked as the best children’s hospital in the nation for digestive disorders.

Our specialties and their rank are:

• Cancer, #5
• Diabetes and Endocrine Disorders, #4
• Digestive Disorders, #1
• Heart and Heart Surgery, # 9
• Kidney Disorders, #12
• Neonatal Care, #4
• Neurology and Neurosurgery, #8
• Orthopedics, #6
• Respiratory Disorders, #3
• Urology, #5

"Our success has come from linking research, safety, quality and process improvement to taking better care of kids, improving the patient and family experience, and providing the best value," says James Anderson, president and CEO. "This recognition is a testament to the dedication of our staff and we are honored to work on behalf of children around the world."

The methodology behind this year’s rankings weighed a three-part blend of reputation, outcome, and care-related measures such as nursing care, advanced technology, credentialing, and other factors. The hospitals were judged based on a combination of opinions from pediatric specialists about the hospitals they would recommend for the sickest children and data gathered from the hospitals themselves in a 65-page survey covering important medical information. This ranged from surgical death rates to whether pediatric anesthesiologists and other sub-specialists are on staff. A detailed description of the methodology can be found at www.usnews.com/childrenshospitals.

"The objective of the Best Children's Hospitals rankings is to help children with uniquely challenging medical needs, and for these special patients, it is essential they seek treatment at pediatric facilities with deep expertise," says Health Rankings Editor Avery Comarow. "With this year's rankings, we're providing important information on the best of the best."

Ranking-eligible facilities were largely drawn from two membership categories of the National Association of Children’s Hospitals and Related Institutions: freestanding children’s hospitals, or "hospitals within a hospital" (large, multidisciplinary pediatric departments within a medical center). Several non-NACHRI members were added because of known expertise or at the recommendation of experts. Of the 160 children’s hospitals invited to complete the 65-page survey, 98 responded. Fifty-six were ranked (in the Top 30) in at least one category. The survey was created and administered by RTI International, the same research organization that collects the data and oversees the methodology behind the adult Best Hospitals rankings.