U.S. News & World Report released its annual rankings and ratings of the best hospitals in the country Tuesday, and unsurprisingly, Nashville's top hospitals fared well.
Health care is the city's largest industry, contributing about $67 billion annually to the local economy. Nashville doctors are also leaders in innovation in numerous medical specializations, including organ transplants.
Local hospitals ranked nationally in individual specialties and earned the "high performing" designation in procedures like aortic valve surgery, lung cancer surgery and spinal fusion. Many received a Best Hospital designation, but none of the city's hospitals landed on the Best Hospitals Honor Roll, which U.S. News & World Report describes as "the best of the best."
“For 35 years, U.S. News has been a leading resource for patients navigating their health care decisions,” U.S. News Chief of Health Analysis Ben Harder said in a statement. “A 'Best Hospital' recognition empowers patients to seek out medical care from the best of the best to treat their illness or condition.”
Here's a look at how Nashville's hospitals stack up against each other and the rest of the state:
No. 1: Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Vanderbilt University Medical Center earned the coveted spot of top hospital in the state. The hospital ranked nationally in seven adult specialties and 10 pediatric specialties.
U.S. News & World Report also awarded VUMC the "high performing" rating for 19 procedures and conditions. VUMC ranked in the top 10% nationwide for neurology, cancer and geriatrics. It also ranked No. 34 nationally for cardiology, No. 36 for diabetes and endocrinology and No. 9 for ear, nose and throat.
No. 2: Baptist Memorial Hospital Memphis
Memphis' Baptist Memorial Hospital took the silver as second-best hospital in Tennessee. The hospital earned "high performing" marks for 14 procedures and conditions, including heart bypass surgery, transcatheter aortic valve surgery, colon cancer surgery, kidney failure and stroke.
However, charity care provision for uninsured patients is lower than it is at other hospitals in the state, and Baptist does not provide maternity care or addiction treatment services.
Tie for No. 3: Methodist Hospital of Memphis, University of Tennessee Medical Center
Methodist Hospital of Memphis and the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville tied for the third-place spot.
Methodist nationally ranked in five pediatric specialties, like neonatology, and earned a "high performing" rating in 11 procedures and conditions. Meanwhile, the University of Tennessee Medical Center didn't rank nationally in any specialties, but it is "high performing" in 12 procedures and conditions, including leukemia, lung cancer, prostate cancer and stroke.
No. 5: CHI Memorial Hospital
Chattanooga's CHI Memorial Hospital grabbed the last spot in the top five with "high performing" ratings in 11 adult procedures and conditions.
CHI's high-rated procedures include lung cancer surgery, heart bypass surgery, hip replacement and knee replacement. U.S. News also gave CHI an "excellent" rating for minimal racial disparities in outcomes, especially for knee replacements, hip replacements and back surgeries.
No. 6: Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital
Nashville's Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital snagged sixth place with "high performing" ratings in 10 procedures and conditions, including aortic valve surgery, heart attack, heart failure, hip replacement and knee replacement.
Like the other hospitals on this list, Ascension Saint Thomas earned a Best Hospital designation.
“Receiving this recognition from U.S. News is a reflection of our caregivers’ dedication and hard work in delivering specialized and high caliber care to our patients,” Ascension Saint Thomas CEO Dr. Shubhada Jagasia said in a statement. “We are immensely proud of our teams and deeply honored to be recognized in this renowned list.”
Hadley Hitson covers trending business, dining and health care for The Tennessean. She can be reached at hhitson@gannett.com. To support her work,subscribe to The Tennessean.
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