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MILWAUKEE (6/18/2009) - Eight pediatric specialties at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin have been ranked in U.S. News Media Group's 2009 edition of America's Best Children's Hospitals, published online at www.usnews.com/childrenshospitals and featured in the August issue of U.S. News & World Report, available on newsstands starting July 21.
The rankings are as follows: Heart and Heart Surgery, 8; Digestive Disorders, 9; Urology, 20; Respiratory Disorders, 25; Cancer, 28; Neonatal care, 29; Neurology and Neurosurgery, 29; Kidney Disorders, 30.
"Our rankings are yet another indication that Children's Hospital is a national leader in pediatric health care," said Cindy Christensen, RN, JD, executive vice president, Children's Hospital of Wisconsin. "They clearly reflect the knowledge, compassion and dedication of everyone who provides direct patient care or supports those who do."
"While they might be a small percentage of all hospital patients, a large number of children every year need high-quality hospital care," said Health Rankings Editor Avery Comarow. "The objective of the Best Children's Hospitals rankings is to help children with uniquely challenging medical needs, and for these special patients, it is essential they seek treatment at pediatric facilities with deep expertise. With this year's rankings, we're providing important information on the best of the best."
The methodology behind this year's rankings weighed a three-part blend of reputation, outcome, and care-related measures such as nursing care, advanced technology, credentialing and other factors. The hospitals were judged based on a combination of opinions from pediatric specialists about the hospitals they would recommend for the sickest children and data gathered in a 65-page survey covering important medical information ranging from surgical death rates to whether pediatric anesthesiologists and other sub specialists are on the staff. A detailed description of the methodology can be found at www.usnews.com/childrenshospitals.
Ranking-eligible facilities were largely drawn from two membership categories of the National Association of Children's Hospitals and Related Institutions (NACHRI): freestanding children's hospitals, or "hospitals within a hospital" (large, multidisciplinary pediatric departments within a medical center). Several non-NACHRI members were added because of known expertise or at the recommendation of experts. Of the 160 children's hospitals invited to complete the 65-page survey, 98 responded. The survey was created and administered by RTI International, the same respected research organization that collects the data and oversees the methodology behind the adult Best Hospitals rankings.
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