UW News

July 21, 2005

UWMC ranks in Top 10 for third year running

For the third consecutive year, UW Medical Center (UWMC) ranks among the top 10 hospitals in the nation. UWMC retains its ninth-place ranking from 2004, according to U.S.News & World Report’s 2005 annual guide to “America’s Best Hospitals,” updated in its July 18 issue.


The rankings place UWMC in the top 1 percent of all hospitals in the country. UWMC has been consistently ranked among the top hospitals nationally by U.S. News since 1993. Of the 176 medical centers included in this year’s edition of America’s Best Hospitals, only 16 were named to the Honor Roll. UWMC is the highest-ranked hospital west of St. Louis and north of Los Angeles.


In specialty rankings, 11 UW Medical Center programs are now ranked among the top 20 in the country. The rehabilitation program, which is based at both UW Medical Center and Harborview Medical Center, is now ranked third in the nation. Geriatrics, also based at both hospitals, ranked 10th.


UWMC ranked among the top 20 programs nationwide in orthopaedics (9); ear, nose and throat (10); hormonal disorders (10); respiratory disorders (11); cancer (11); gynecology (16); digestive disorders (17); rheumatology (19); and kidney disease (20).


Harborview, which is owned by King County and operated by the UW, ranked 12th in orthopaedics.


Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical Center, which is closely affiliated with the UW School of Medicine, ranked 15th in pediatrics.


“I am honored to have the privilege of working with this team of physicians, nurses and other health care professionals,” said Kathleen Sellick, UWMC executive director. “Their work provides our city, state and region with the best treatments and services available. I congratulate the entire team for its excellence.”


“At a time when health care organizations have never been more challenged, it is reassuring that we have been able to maintain our level of performance in the top 10 nationally for the third year in a row. Our faculty and staff are simply outstanding,” said Dr. Ed Walker, UWMC medical director.


For 12 of the 17 specialties ranked, U.S. News evaluated hospitals using a mathematical model combining reputation among board-certified specialists, death rate statistics, and other medical data such as the various medical technologies available.


In the other five specialties — ophthalmology, pediatrics, psychiatry, rehabilitation and rheumatology — rankings were based on a reputational survey of physicians.


The survey methodology included whether a facility is designated as a Magnet Hospital by the American Nurse Credentialing Center for meeting high standards of nursing excellence. UW Medical Center was the first in the nation to be designated a Magnet Hospital in 1994 and the first to receive the honor three times.


The complete U.S. News Honor Roll of the nation’s best hospitals includes (in order): Johns Hopkins Hospital, Mayo Clinic, Massachusetts General Hospital, Cleveland Clinic, UCLA Medical Center, Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Duke University Medical Center, UW Medical Center, University of California San Francisco Medical Center, University of Michigan Medical Center, Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and Stanford Hospital and Clinics.


For more information on the rankings, go to http://www.usnews.com.