The Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt is again named among the nation’s leaders in pediatric health care in U.S. News & World Report’s annual Best Children’s Hospital rankings released Tuesday.
Children’s Hospital achieved national rankings for a maximum of 10 out of 10 pediatric specialty programs, with half of those specialties among the top 20 in the country.
“We are proud of these results, and to be included again in this acknowledgment of the nation’s best children’s hospitals by U.S. News & World Report,” said C. Wright Pinson, MBA, M.D., deputy vice chancellor for Health Affairs and CEO of the Vanderbilt Health System. “The physicians, nurses and many other dedicated individuals who care for the hundreds of thousands of children and families treated each year at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital are to be congratulated for their steadfast commitment to the health and well-being of all those they serve,” he said.
The 2015-2016 Best Children’s Hospital’s report ranks the top 50 pediatric centers in 10 medical specialties. Scores are calculated using clinical and operational data, including best practices, patient outcomes and staffing, as well as results from a reputational survey of board-certified pediatric specialists. Eighty-three hospitals, out of the 184 surveyed, ranked in one or more specialties. Children’s Hospital has ranked all nine years since the report’s inception in 2007.
“To have our specialties recognized among the best in pediatric health care in the nation for nine years straight is truly an honor,” said Luke Gregory, chief executive officer of Children’s Hospital. “The physicians, nurses and staff commit, with great compassion, to provide quality care for the 1,400 children and their families who enter our facility daily, and it’s because of their tireless efforts, dedication and innovation that we are able to achieve this distinction.”
Children’s Hospital’s urology program continues its success as a leader in specialty care, maintaining its rank in the No. 6 spot.
“We are thrilled that Pediatric Urology continues to be distinguished as an elite program and a destination in care for children and families seeking the skilled, compassionate expertise of our entire team,” said John W. Brock III, M.D., director of Pediatric Urology, surgeon-in-chief for Children’s Hospital and Monroe Carell Jr. Professor. “This acknowledgement is high praise for the physicians, nurses and staff who come to work every day, whether it’s in the clinic, the operating room or another part of the hospital, to deliver comprehensive, patient-centered care and to successfully train the next generation of pediatric urologists. I am fortunate to be a part of this tremendous team.”
Wearing his other hats as surgeon-in chief and as part of the Children’s Hospital leadership team, Brock added, “I am equally as proud of the men and women in our surgical services for their hard work to provide top-notch surgical care as well as our medical services for their commitment to provide high-quality pediatric health care. Our rankings are a direct reflection of that success.”
Five pediatric specialties moved up in the rankings. Neurology & Neurosurgery improved from 42nd to 15th; Pulmonology went from 25th to 15th; Neonatology jumped from 45th to 27th; Gastroenterology & GI Surgery moved from 40th to 32nd; and Diabetes & Endocrinology improved from 31st to 25th. Other specialties ranked this year: Orthopaedics (12); Cancer (30); Cardiology & Heart Surgery (20); and Nephrology (42).
“We are extremely proud to receive this distinction as a top provider of exceptional pediatric health care in all 10 specialties,” said Steven Webber, MBChB, MRCP, chair of the Department of Pediatrics, pediatrician-in-chief and James C. Overall Professor. “Our continued rise in the U.S. News & World Report rankings reflects increasing national recognition of the excellence in clinical care, teaching and research that characterizes our programs at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt.”
Children’s Hospital continues to expand on the quality of care and services available, with construction on its planned four-floor expansion set to begin this fall. The space will add 40,000 square feet to the existing hospital structure.
“We are thrilled once again to be recognized across all 10 specialties and to have half of these in the top 20,” said Meg Rush, M.D., chief of staff and executive medical director for Children’s Hospital. “Our physicians, nurses and staff come to work every day with a desire to make a difference in the lives of children and their families. It is this passion that drives the outstanding teamwork across all specialties that enables our continued progress as a national leader in children’s health care. It is truly an honor to be recognized for the care we render.”
This year’s full rankings, which include information on survival rates, the level and quality of hospital resources, adequacy of staff, procedure volumes and more from the 184 pediatric hospitals, are available online at health.usnews.com/best-hospital/pediatric-rankings and will be published in September in the U.S. News “Best Hospitals 2016” guidebook.
