The Rankings Game
Medical dynasty: M.D. Anderson takes No. 1 spot in hospital rankings for sixthstraight year
The 2012-2013 U.S. News & World Report Rankings for the "Best Hospitals" in the nation are out — and, unsurprisingly, Houston's flourishing medical industry made an impressive showing.
For the rankings, U.S. News surveyed nearly 10,000 specialists and analyzed data from approximately 5,000 hospitals to determine the best in 16 areas of specialized care.
M.D. Anderson Cancer Center retains its No. 1 spot for oncology treatment for the sixth year in a row, with national rankings in three other specialties — No. 5 in ear, nose and throat, No. 6 in gynecology and No. 23 in urology — and "high-performing" in four other areas.
The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center retains its No. 1 spot for oncology treatment for the sixth year in a row.
M.D. Anderson's Children's Cancer Hospital also ranked No. 15 in pediatric cancer on the 2012-2013 Best Children's Hospitals list.
But the highly-rated cancer center isn't the only local medical facility deserving of accolades: Methodist Hospital ranked No. 1 in the Houston metropolitan area and first overall in Texas, with national rankings in 13 out of 16 specialty areas.
St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital's Texas Heart Institute fell in at No. 6 among the Best Hospitals for Cardiology and Heart Surgery. The hospital, which landed the No. 2 ranking in Texas, placed nationally in nine other specialties and performed highly in two more.
Other highly-regarded Houston hospitals include TIRR Memorial Hermann (which ranked No. 3 in rehabilitation), the Menninger Clinic (which ranked No. 4 in psychiatry, up one spot from last year) and Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center (which ranked No. 50 in nephrology and performed highly in 11 other specialty categories).
Four Memorial Hermann facilities made the list of the Most Connected Hospitals that have led the curve in adapting to the digital age and adopting electronic medical records: Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center; TIRR Memorial Hermann; Memorial Hermann Northwest Hospital; and Memorial Hermann Memorial City Medical Center.
Though none of Houston's adult hospitals made the national Honor Roll list, which features the 17 hospitals with scores near the top in at least six specialties, Texas Children's Hospital ranked No. 4 on the Best Children's Hospital Honor Roll list.
Texas Children's racked up national rankings in 10 pediatric specialties, including cancer, cardiology and heart surgery, diabetes and endocrinology, gastroenterology, neonatology, nephrology, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopedics, pulmonology and urology.
The true worth of U.S. News & World Report rankings are hotly debated in the medical world — and they are often controversial — but they serve as the centerpiece of advertising for hospitals that make the list.