UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital has been recognized for excellence in all 10 specialties measured in the annual Best Children’s Hospital rankings, which were published today by U.S. News and World Report.
Two programs placed in the top 20 nationally – nephrology (8) and orthopedics (19). Also ranked were endocrinology (21), cardiology (25), gastroenterology (25), cancer (26), neurology/neurosurgery (31), urology (32), neonatology (37) and pulmonology (39).
The rankings rely on both clinical data and reputation among pediatric specialists to identify the top 50 pediatric programs in the country in each of 10 specialties. Of 183 hospitals surveyed, 78 hospitals were ranked in at least one specialty. Mattel Children’s Hospital placed in all 10 categories.
“These rankings reflect the quality of care we provide to children in a wide range of medical disciplines and once again place us among the nation’s top children’s hospitals,” said Dr. Sherin Devaskar, physician-in-chief of Mattel Children’s Hospital and assistant vice chancellor for child health.
“We are especially proud of our nephrology program, which was best among children’s hospitals in Southern California, and orthopedics, which placed among the top three on the West Coast,” said Devaskar, who also holds the Mattel Executive Endowed Chair in Pediatrics at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.
To determine the rankings, U.S. News and World Report surveys hospitals for data on patient outcomes, number of procedures performed, staffing levels, use of technology, clinical support programs and a wide range of other information. The methodology (PDF) also incorporates responses from more than 2,700 pediatricians who were asked where they would send the sickest children in their specialty, regardless of location or expense.
Mattel Children’s Hospital, a vital component of Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, has performed well each year since the publication introduced the Best Children’s Hospital rankings in 2007. It offers a full spectrum of primary and specialized medical care for infants, children and adolescents. The hospital’s mission is to provide state-of-the-art medical and surgical treatment for children in a compassionate atmosphere and to improve the understanding and treatment of pediatric diseases.
“The Best Children’s Hospitals highlight pediatric centers that offer exceptional care for the kids who need the most help,” U.S. News health rankings editor Avery Comarow said in a statement. “Day in and day out, they deliver state-of-the-art medical care.”
