- 2008 Pediatric rankings include top 30 hospitals in six specialty fields -

U.S.News & World Report, one of the nation's leading sources of news analysis and service journalism, announced the 2008 edition of America's Best Children's Hospitals, published online at http://www.usnews.com/pediatrics and in the magazine's June 9 issue, on newsstands Monday, June 2.

In a further extension of the 2007 pediatric rankings that listed the top 30 pediatric centers overall (based on reputation, data, and statistics on hospital performance and quality of care), the 2008 America's Best Children's Hospitals 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.

"Very sick kids need very special care," said Senior Writer Avery Comarow, who has been editor of the America's Best Hospitals and America's Best Children's Hospitals annual rankings since their inception. "The best places for them are pediatric facilities with a deep pool of expertise in their particular illness. Breaking out key specialties is crucial to help parents and other caregivers find these facilities."

The specialty rankings of this year's America's Best Children's Hospitals were based on a new and improved methodology that weighed a three-part blend of reputation, outcome, and care-related measures such as nursing care, advanced technology, credentialing, and other factors. A detailed description of the methodology can be found online at http://www.usnews.com/pediatrics.

Ranking-eligible facilities were largely drawn from members of the National Association of Children's Hospitals and Related Institutions (NACHRI) in either of two categories-a freestanding children's hospital or a children's "hospital within a hospital" (a large, multidisciplinary pediatric service within a medical center). In addition, several non-NACHRI members were added because of known expertise or at the recommendation of experts. Of the 143 children's hospitals invited to complete a survey asking for information as detailed as whether a center offers postgraduate fellowships in pediatric cardiology, 113 responded. The survey was constructed by RTI International, which collects the data and oversees the methodology behind the adult Best Hospitals rankings.

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Founded in 1933, U.S.News & World Report is devoted to reporting and to analyzing national and international affairs, politics, business, health, science, technology and social trends. Through its annual editions of America's Best Colleges, America's Best Graduate Schools, America's Best Hospitals, America's Best Health Plans and America's Best Leaders, as well as its News You Can Use(R) brand, U.S. News has earned a reputation as the leading provider of service news and information that improves the quality of life of its readers. The U.S. News website (http://www.usnews.com/) extends that brand promise and delivers the best, most accurate information online, organized in an easily accessible way.

America's Best Children's Hospitals, 2008 Edition

In addition to new ranking information, the America's Best Children's Hospitals editorial package includes:

  -- Feature stories of children who beat the odds because they were at the
     right place
  -- Makenna Franks Update: Formerly profiled child's transformed heart and
     recovery


  General Pediatrics
  1. Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
  2. Children's Hospital Boston
  3. Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
  4. Johns Hopkins Children's Center, Baltimore
  5. Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, Cleveland

  Digestive Disorders
  1. Children's Hospital Boston
  2. Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
  3. Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
  4. Texas Children's Hospital, Houston
  5. Children's Hospital, Denver

  Neonatal Care
  1. Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
  2. Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, Cleveland
  3. Children's Hospital Boston
  4. New York-Presbyterian Medical Center
  5. Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford, Calif.

  Respiratory Disorders
  1. Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
  2. Texas Children's Hospital, Houston
  3. Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
  4. Children's Hospital Boston
  5. Children's Hospital, Denver

  Cancer
  1. Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
  2. Children's Hospital Boston
  3. Texas Children's Hospital, Houston
  4. Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
  5. Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center, Seattle

  Heart & Heart Surgery
  1. Children's Hospital Boston
  2. Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
  3. Texas Children's Hospital, Houston
  4. C.S. Mott Children's Hospital, Ann Arbor
  5. Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford, Calif.

  Neurology & Neurosurgery
  1. Johns Hopkins Children's Center, Baltimore
  2. Children's Hospital Boston
  3. Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
  4. Children's Hospital Cleveland Clinic
  5. Texas Children's Hospital, Houston

*Full rankings for America's Best Children's Hospitals can be found online at http://www.usnews.com/pediatrics

Source: U.S.News & World Report

Web site:
http://www.usnews.com/
http://www.usnews.com/pediatrics