The U-M Health System (UMHS) again has been named one of the 10 top hospitals in the country, according to the annual U.S. News & World Report magazine rankings released July 17. UMHS is the only hospital in Michigan to make the honor roll of the 17 “Best Hospitals.”
UMHS ranked 9th overall this year, maintaining its coveted standing among the nation’s leading health care institutions. The magazine’s annual report not only ranks the honor roll of “Best Hospitals,” but also assesses hospitals in various medical specialties.
Again this year, UMHS was recognized in nearly all the specialties, ranking in the top 15 in 12 of the categories.
Four specialties were in the top 10: cancer; ear, nose and throat; geriatrics; and respiratory diseases. Several specialties moved up in the rankings from last year’s position as well, with heart and heart surgery making a huge jump from 42 in 2002 to 22 in this year’s rankings. In addition, the eyes specialty was ranked among the top 20 in the country.
“It is an honor for us to be recognized among the top 10 health care institutions in the United States for three years in a row,” says Dr. Lazar Greenfield, interim executive vice president for medical affairs. “Consistently, our faculty and staff have done an outstanding job in providing the best in patient care, education and research—and this recognition validates the great work they do here every day.”
The rankings further illustrate UMHS’s strength in a range of national and state rankings. This year, the Medical School was ranked 8th among the top 10 best research-oriented medical schools by U.S. News & World Report. MCARE, UMHS’s managed care organization, received an “excellent” accreditation from the National Committee for Quality Assurance for all three of its HMO plans, and maintains top ratings from the Michigan Department of Community Health for its Medicaid health plans.
U.S. News & World Report uses several factors in determining the rankings, including reputation among board-certified physicians, mortality statistics, nursing care, medical technology, palliative care and discharge planning.
The rankings will be published in the July 28 issue of the magazine, which is available July 21 on newsstands. Rankings also are available at http://www.USNews.com.
