Life
Every year, U.S. News & World Report ranks the best hospitals in the United States, using a complex scale examining a number of factors to determine which pediatric health centers offer the best care in the nation. U.S News & World Report has not only compiled its list of the best children's hospitals in the United States for 2017-2018, but it has also ranked the best 50 children's hospitals per 10 different pediatric specialties. If there's one major take away from the annual ranking of best children's hospitals, it's that Americans are exceptionally lucky to have so many excellent health care centers just focusing on pediatric health.
Of the top 10 best children's hospitals in the country, the top four are mostly clustered in the Eastern United States, in major metropolitan cities such as Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Cincinnati. Only at rankings five and six do these facilities make their way further west, with Houston and Los Angeles children's hospitals, respectively.
U.S. News & World Report looked at a variety of measures to come up with this year's rankings, including "clinical outcomes, patient volume, infection control, adequacy of nurse staffing, efficiency and coordination of care delivery, and compliance with best practices," as it noted in a statement. Here are the top five best children's hospitals for 2017-2018.
1
Boston Children's Hospital
Boston Children's Hospital has been the top-ranked children's hospital by U.S. News & World Report since 2014. Located in the heart of Boston, Massachusetts, Boston Children's Hospital has 415 beds and nearly 1,300 doctors. In addition to claiming the honor as the nation's best children's hospital for the fourth year in a row, it also snagged top honors for the following five pediatric specialties: gastroenterology and GI surgery, nephrology, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopedics, and urology.
2
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia was named the second-best children's hospital in America, coming just behind Boston Children's Hospital since 2014, where it tied at number one with its northern neighbor. Children's Hospital of Philadelphia also ranked as the number one hospital for pediatric diabetes and endocrinology, as well as pediatric pulmonology. Children's Hospital of Philadelphia is the oldest children's hospital in the country, founded in 1855.
3
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center has nearly 6,000 beds and just over 1,000 doctors. Michael Fisher, president and CEO of Cincinnati Children’s, told local ABC affiliate WCPO "It is gratifying but humbling to rank among the best year after year."
4
Texas Children's Hospital
While coming in at the fourth best children's hospital, Texas Children's Hospital was ranked the top hospital for pediatric cardiology and heart surgery. In 2003, the Houston-based hospital successfully performed a 30-hour surgery to separate Egyptian twins conjoined at the head.
5
Johns Hopkins Children's Center
Johns Hopkins Children's Center rounded out the top five best children's hospitals. Located in Baltimore, Maryland, the Children's Center admits as many as 150 children per day, according to U.S. News & World Report.
You can check out out the full list of America's best children's hospitals at U.S. News and World Report online.
