Duke University Hospital is one of the 20 best hospitals in the country, per US News

Duke University Hospital ranked as one of the 20 best hospitals in the country, according to U.S. News & World Report's annual analysis.

Why it matters: In addition to being one of the most prestigious health care centers in the country, Duke University Hospital is a huge economic driver in the Triangle.

• It's the largest employer in Durham County and is a huge magnet for people relocating to the area .

How it works: The U.S. News ranking compared more than 4,000 hospitals by patient outcomes across 20 benchmark procedures like knee replacement and heart bypass surgery, and other data sources like Medicare, patient surveys and expert opinions.

• U.S. News worked with Durham-based RTI International on the research.

Zoom in: Duke was the only North Carolina hospital to make the honor roll, and it also was listed as the best hospital in the state.

The 10 best hospitals in North Carolina were:

1. Duke University Hospital in Durham
2. UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill
3. Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte
4. UNC REX Hospital in Raleigh
5. ECU Health Medical Center in Greenville
6. Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem
7. FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital in Pinehurst
8. Moses H. Cone Memorial Hospital in Greensboro
9. 3 hospitals tied (Duke Regional Hospital in Durham, Mission Hospital in Asheville and Novant Health Presbyterian in Charlotte).

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