July 7, 2006

U-M Hospitals and Health Centers only Michigan hospital ranked among nation’s best in U.S.News & World Report

U-M again ranked in honor roll of top hospitals; all 16 specialties also ranked

ANN ARBOR, MI –The University of Michigan Hospitals and Health Centers is listed among the best hospitals in the nation and once again is the only hospital in Michigan to make the honor roll of “America’s Best Hospitals” in the annual U.S.News & World Report rankings.

U-M was ranked 12th in the country on the magazine’s honor roll of the 14 best hospitals, a list that includes the upper echelon of the 176 medical centers in the 2006 “America’s Best Hospitals.”

The Hospitals and Health Centers also achieved a ranking in all 16 of the specialty areas included in U.S. News. Ear, nose and throat (Otolaryngology) made the top 10, ranking 5th. Several specialties moved up from their positions in 2005: Kidney Disease, from 16 last year to 13 this year; Neurology and Neurosurgery, from 20 last year to 15 this year; and Gynecology, from 24 last year to 21 this year. Additionally, Pediatrics made the list this year, ranking 26th.

“I am very pleased with the recognition that U-M remains one of the best hospitals in the country. I am fortunate to see examples of our quality every day as I witness the fine work and dedication of our faculty and staff,” says Doug Strong, M.B.A., director and chief executive officer of the U-M Hospitals and Health Centers.

“It is worth noting that the rankings have improved for both Gynecology and Pediatrics, given our current focus on a new children’s and women’s hospital building,” Strong says. “The fact that we are ranked in all of the specialties is a good indicator of the breadth of experience and talent we have here.”

An important change was made in the rankings this year: The list no longer includes a category for Geriatrics because those doing the rankings say the specialty is oriented more to primary care than to specialized hospital treatment. U-M has always ranked highly in this category, and the loss of two honor roll points from 2005 partially accounts for the Hospitals and Health Centers’ overall drop from 11th last year.

The rankings illustrate the U-M Health System’s strength in a range of national and state rankings. Earlier this year, the U-M Medical School was ranked 11th among the best research-oriented medical schools by U.S.News & World Report. M-CARE, UMHS’s managed care organization, holds an Excellent Accreditation from the National Committee for Quality Assurance for its Commercial and Medicaid HMO health plans.

U.S.News & World Report’s method for determining the “America’s Best Hospitals” rankings is made up of three equal parts: reputation, death rate, and a mix of care-related factors such as nursing and patient services.

In the categories of Ophthalmology, Pediatrics, Psychiatry, Rehabilitation and Rheumatology, hospitals were ranked only by their reputation among board-certified specialists.

U-M’s rankings in each specialty category are:

• Overall: 12
• Cancer: 18
• Digestive Disorders: 11
• Ear, Nose, & Throat: 5
• Endocrinology: 14
• Gynecology: 21
• Heart & Heart Surgery: 22
• Kidney Disease: 13
• Neurology & Neurosurgery: 15
• Ophthalmology: 17
• Orthopedics: 16
• Pediatrics: 26
• Psychiatry: 26
• Rehabilitation: 11
• Respiratory Disorders: 15
• Rheumatology: 14
• Urology: 15

The "America's Best Hospitals" methodology was devised in 1993 at the University of Chicago. The 2006 rankings were produced by RTI International in Triangle Park, N.C.

This year’s edition of the best hospitals rankings will be on newsstands July 10. The list is available online at www.USNews.com.

Written by Katie Gazella

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