Beau Kelly, M.D.
Children’s Hospital, specialties ranked among nation’s best
The Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt has again been named one of U.S. News and World Report's best children's hospitals, and two specialties within the hospital were recognized for their excellence.
Overall, Children's Hospital held steady from last year at No. 23.
Neonatology was ranked No. 14 and Neurology and Neurosurgery at Children's Hospital was ranked No. 20 in the nation. This is the first time the magazine has ranked pediatric specialties separately.
“Our ranking reflects what we already know at Children's Hospital: all our staff — including physicians, nurses, environmental services, medical receptionists, respiratory therapists and others — are doing great work and it is being recognized at a national level,” said Kevin B. Churchwell, M.D., chief executive officer and executive director of Children's Hospital.
“It is an honor to work alongside them every day.”
In a further extension of the 2007 pediatric rankings that listed the top 30 pediatric centers overall, the 2008 America's Best Children's Hospitals list now includes the 30 top-ranked hospitals in cancer, digestive disorders, heart and heart surgery, neonatal care, neurology and neurosurgery, respiratory disorders and general pediatrics.
The specialty rankings were based on methodology that included reputation, outcomes and care-related measures such as nursing care, advanced technology, credentialing and other factors. In the overall rankings, Children's Hospital received high marks for its use of advanced technologies.
“It is indeed an honor to again be ranked among the best children's hospitals in the country. This is a testimony to the faculty and staff who have dedicated their lives to the outstanding care of children,” said John Brock III, M.D., surgeon-in-chief and professor and director of the Division of Pediatric Urology at Children's Hospital. “In this ever-changing health care environment, it remains important for us to stay intensively focused on this mission.
“An honor such as this simply helps validate the fact that we are, in a small way, achieving our goals. I am proud to be an associate of the many men and women who make this such a special environment to care for children.”
Hospitals eligible to complete the survey were primarily drawn from members of the National Association of Children's Hospitals and Related Institutions in either of two categories — a freestanding children's hospital or a children's “hospital within a hospital.”
“This hospital that we have gives the children of Middle Tennessee a special place that is all their own; a place that was built, a staff that was trained for children and doctors who want to be there to treat young people,” said Monroe Carell Jr., the hospital’s namesake.
“This is a special place.