National survey again names University of Chicago Hospitals to the Honor Roll of the best US hospitals

Only Illinois hospital ever to make the short list

Contact
John Easton
(773) 702-6241
john.easton@uchospitals.edu

July 8, 2005

The University of Chicago Hospitals have been selected as one of the best hospitals in the United States by U.S.News & World Report in its annual survey of America's 6,007 hospitals.

In the 2005 "Best Hospitals" issue (18 July 2005, on newsstands July 11), the University of Chicago Hospitals is ranked 14th nationally overall. The University of Chicago is the only Illinois hospital ever included in the survey's "Honor Roll" of the best hospitals in the United States. They have been named to this prestigious list nine times since 1995.

The Hospitals are ranked among the best in the country in 11 specialty areas. Programs in digestive disorders (#6) and cancer (#7) were ranked in the top 10 nationwide.

Six other programs were ranked in the top 25, including neurology & neurosurgery (#14), hormonal disorders (#14), geriatrics (#16), respiratory disorders (#21), gynecology (#22), and kidney disease (#25). Three other programs--ear, nose & throat (#30), orthopedics (#32), and heart & heart surgery (#44)--scored in the top 50.

The U.S.News & World Report rankings are based on a mathematical formula that takes into account the ratio between actual and expected mortality at a hospital; a group of factors such as available technology, procedure volume and nursing care; and each institution's reputation according to a poll of 200 specialists in each field. These specialists are asked to list "the five hospitals they consider best in their specialty for difficult cases, without considering cost or location."

Only 176 of the country's 6,007 hospitals made the list for at least one specialty. Many of these hospitals are referral centers, the magazine notes. "Their physicians see sicker patients and do greater numbers of tough procedures. They follow, often pioneer, advanced treatment guidelines. They conduct bench-to-bedside research. And they exploit advances in imaging, surgical devices, and other technologies. It's an elite group."

Of those 176, only 16 made the Honor Roll, reserved for "medical centers ranked at or near the top."

The University of Chicago's Pritzker School of Medicine was also the highest ranked medical school in Illinois in the U.S.News & World Report's "Best Graduate Schools" issue, which came out this spring.

2005 Best Hospitals--U.S.News & World Report

All Ranked Illinois Hospitals

Key to Illinois Hospitals