The University of California again has the West's top two hospitals and all five of its medical centers rank among the nation's best hospitals, according to U.S. News & World Report's annual survey.
U.S. News also ranked UC medical centers No. 1 in their metropolitan areas — Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, UCSF Medical Center in San Francisco, UC San Diego Health System in San Diego and UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento. UC Irvine Medical Center ranked best in Orange County and fourth in the Los Angeles region.
For the 2013-14 America's Best Hospitals survey, U.S. News evaluated about 5,000 hospitals nationwide in 16 adult specialties, reviewing patient safety, reputation and other factors, with just 147 ranking nationally in even one specialty. Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center and UCSF Medical Center were among two of only 18 hospitals that entered the honor roll by scoring high in at least six specialties.
"A hospital that emerges from our analysis as one of the best has much to be proud of," said Avery Comarow, U.S. News' health rankings editor. "Only about 15 percent of hospitals are recognized for their high performance as among their region's best. Just 3 percent of all hospitals earn a national ranking in any specialty."
Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center ranked fifth nationally and was best in the western United States for the 24th consecutive year. UCLA ranked among the top 50 hospitals nationally in 15 of the 16 specialties: cancer (11); cardiology and heart surgery (17); diabetes and endocrinology (13); ear, nose and throat (11); gastroenterology and GI surgery (8); geriatrics (3); gynecology (38); nephrology (8); neurology and neurosurgery (9); ophthalmology (5); orthopedics (19); psychiatry (9); pulmonology (24); rheumatology (8); and urology (4).
UCSF Medical Center ranked seventh nationally. UCSF placed among the top 50 hospitals nationally in 13 specialties: cancer (7); diabetes and endocrinology (5); ear, nose and throat (12); gasteroenterology and GI surgery (27); geriatrics (8); gynecology (8); nephrology (7); neurology and neurosurgery (5); ophthalmology (14); orthopedics (14); pulmonology (24); rheumatology (10); and urology (7).
UC San Diego Health System ranked among the top 50 hospitals nationally in 10 specialties: cancer (42); cardiology and heart surgery (42); diabetes and endocrinology (29); ear, nose and throat (48); gastroenterology and GI surgery (31); geriatrics (20); nephrology (17); neurology and neurosurgery (42); pulmonology (9); and urology (22).
UC Irvine Medical Center, which made the Best Hospitals list for the 13th consecutive year, ranked in three specialties: geriatrics (30), nephrology (47) and urology (48).
UC Davis Medical Center is ranked nationally in pediatric orthopedics and high-performing in 12 adult specialties: cancer; cardiology and heart surgery; diabetes and endocrinology; ear, nose and throat; gastroenterology and GI surgery, geriatrics; gynecology; nephrology; neurology and neurosurgery; orthopedics; pulmonology; and urology.
Survey results are available online at http://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals. Overall, Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore ranked first; Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston was second; the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., was third; and the Cleveland Clinic was fourth.
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