UChicago Medicine rises in US News’ hospital rankings

The University of Chicago Medicine has continued to improve in U.S. News & World Report’s annual survey of the country’s best hospitals, released July 28, moving up to having nine specialties ranked among the top 50 in the nation, including six in the top 25.

Three specialties — diabetes/endocrinology, gastroenterology and GI surgery, and gynecology — ranked in the top 20 in U.S. News’ “Best Hospitals” 2020-21 list. Three other specialties moved into the top 25 and three more that had been previously unranked earned places in the top 50. Each ranked specialty earned higher scores than the previous year when UChicago Medicine had six specialties ranked in the top 50.

Two other specialties — geriatrics and neurology/neurosurgery — were recognized as “high performing,” meaning their scores were in the top 10% of those hospitals that were analyzed but were outside of the top 50.

The South Side academic medical center ranked third both in Chicago and in Illinois, dropping one spot from last year’s survey. 

“We continue to be encouraged by the increased number of placements and gains in the survey. In just two years, we have tripled the number of specialties recognized in the top 50 rankings,” said Kenneth S. Polonsky, MD, Dean and Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs at the University of Chicago. “These achievements affirm the work of our faculty, nurses and staff, who continually strive for excellence in patient care and safety.”

Sixteen specialties are ranked by U.S. News; UChicago Medicine’s top 50 rankings are as follows:

• Cancercare improved to No. 24, up from No. 31 last year.
• Diabetes/endocrinology ranked at No. 19, after being unranked last year.
• Ear, nose, & throat rose to No. 35, up from No. 36 last year.
• Gastroenterology and GI surgery improved its rank to No. 13, up from No. 22.
• Gynecology jumped to No. 12, up from No. 34 last year.
• Nephrology improved to No. 23, up from 31 last year.
• Orthopaedics landed at No. 32 on the list, after being unranked but receiving a “high performing” recognition last year.
• Pulmonology ranked No. 49, after being unranked last year.
• Urology rose to No. 22, up from No. 32 last year.

U.S. News compiled the rankings after a lengthy data analysis of 4,500 medical centers across the country. The publication also surveyed thousands of physicians to develop the report.

U.S. News also evaluates hospital performance for 10 common adult procedures and conditions. Hospitals that treated enough patients age 65 and older were listed as high performing, average or below average. In this category, UChicago Medicine received high-performing ratings in seven areas: aortic valve surgery, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, colon cancer surgery, heart bypass surgery, heart failure, knee replacement and lung cancer surgery. The remaining three — abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, hip replacement and transcatheter aortic valve replacement — received average ratings.

UChicago Medicine was also recently recognized by the Leapfrog Group, earning its 17th consecutive ‘A’ grade in patient safety.

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