USC-affiliated hospitals ranked among 'America's Best'

July 11, 2008

USC-affiliated hospitals placed among the best in the nation in the U.S. News & World Report magazine’s 19th annual rankings of “America’s Best Hospitals” in the July 21 issue. USC-affiliated hospitals included in the rankings are: USC/Norris Cancer Hospital, USC University Hospital, Doheny Eye Institute and Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center.

The rankings are categorized by medical specialty, with the top 50 medical centers listed for most specialties. Doheny ranked seventh in ophthalmology, climbing one spot from a ranking of eighth in 2007.

Rancho Los Amigos ranked16th in rehabilitation, USC/Norris ranked 45th in cancer and University Hospital ranked 45th in gynecology and 49th in neurology and neurosurgery. USC/Norris Cancer Hospital appeared on the list for the first time.

“The Keck School of Medicine of USC salutes our dedicated physicians whose work in these hospitals is recognized by rankings such as these, among many other awards and honors,,” said Carmen A. Puliafito, dean of the Keck School of Medicine at USC. “Our faculty physicians, who work at hospitals throughout the Los Angeles area, demonstrate every day their commitment to the highest standards of patient care.”

The Best Hospitals guide ranks 170 medical centers nationwide in 16 specialties. To be eligible for 12 of the 16 specialties, a hospital had to meet at least one of three requirements: membership in the Council of Teaching Hospitals, affiliation with a medical school, or availability of at least six of 13 key technologies such as robotic surgery. Eligible hospitals also had to have a specified volume in certain procedures and conditions over three years, or have been nominated in the magazine’s yearly specialist survey. The rankings also took into account hospital reputation, death rate and factors like nurse staffing and technology.

In four other specialties—including ophthalmology and rehabilitation—ranking is based solely on reputation, derived from the three most recent physician surveys.

The information for the rankings came from various sources, most prominently the American Hospital Association’s survey of member and nonmember hospitals.

The full list of hospital rankings is also available online at www.usnews.com/besthospitals. Full data is available online for another 1,500 hospitals that are unranked.

Rankings for pediatric facilities appeared separately in the magazine’s June 9 “America’s Best Children’s Hospital” issue. Childrens Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) was ranked ninth among 143 children’s hospitals and medical centers in the nation. Complete rankings of children’s hospitals and specialties are available here.