The following terms are used in the Best Hospitals specialty rankings and in individual hospitals' rankings and data. An overview of the rankings methodology is available, as well as a much more detailed version, the Best Hospitals Methodology Report, a downloadable PDF file that explains all of the measures and how they were combined to produce the rankings.
[See Best Hospitals and search for one near you.]
| Terms used across specialties | |
|---|---|
| Rank, Hospital Rank | Where hospital stands nationally in a specialty compared with others. Based on U.S. News Score except in ophthalmology, psychiatry, rehabilitation, and rheumatology (see reputation with specialists). |
| U.S. News Score, U.S. News Hospital Score | A number from 0 to 100 summarizing quality of inpatient care as determined by U.S. News. A score of 100 was assigned to the top-ranked hospital in each specialty. The major elements are reputation (32.5 percent), survival (32.5 percent), patient safety (5 percent), and quality-related data such as patient volume and nursing care (30 percent). |
| Reputation with specialists | Percentage of board-certified physicians responding to U.S. News surveys in 2009, 2010, and 2011 who named hospital among best in their specialty, without considering location or cost, for especially challenging cases and procedures. Reputation alone determined rank in ophthalmology, psychiatry, rehabilitation, and rheumatology. |
| Survival | Reflects rate of inpatient deaths in the specialty within 30 days of discharge compared with rate expected after adjusting for age, severity of illness, and other risks. A score of 10 means hospital was in the top 10 percent at keeping patients alive; 1 indicates the lowest 10 percent. |
| Success in keeping patients safe | How well hospital protects patients from six types of harmful medical events and errors, such as preventing major bleeding after surgery. Hospitals in the highest 25 percent received a score of 3, those in the middle 50 percent a score of 2, and those in the lowest 25 percent a score of 1. |
| Patient volume | Number of Medicare inpatients in 2007, 2008, and 2009 who received specifically defined types of care. |
| Nurse staffing | Indicates relative balance of registered nurses (inpatient and outpatient RNs) and daily average number of patients. Inpatients receive more weight because they need more nursing care. Agency and temporary nurses are excluded. |
| Nurse Magnet hospital | Satisfies standards for nursing excellence based on certification by American Nurses Credentialing Center as of March 1, 2011. |
| Advanced technologies | Important technologies available to patients in a specialty. The mix in each specialty is indicated below. |
| Patient services | Important services available to patients in a specialty. The mix in each specialty is indicated below. |
| Trauma center | Whether hospital is a state-certified Level 1 or 2 trauma center. Such a center can provide advanced care to severely injured patients. |
| Intensivists | Whether hospital staffs at least one intensive care unit with a physician who has subspecialty or fellowship training in caring for ICU patients. |
| Terms used in individual specialties | |
Cancer |
|
| NCI cancer center | Designated by National Cancer Institute as a clinical or comprehensive cancer hospital. |
| Transplant accreditation | Certified by Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy as of March 1, 2011, as meeting standards for transplanting stem cells from patient's own bone marrow and other cellular tissue to treat cancer. Double credit if hospital is accredited for transplantation both from patients and from other donors. |
| Advanced technologies | Full-field digital mammography, image-guided radiation therapy, PET/CT scanner, robotic surgery, shaped-beam radiation, stereotactic radiosurgery, and transplant services that include bone marrow and other tissues. |
| Patient services score | Genetic testing/counseling, hospice, pain-management program, palliative care, patient-controlled analgesia, translators, infection isolation room, and wound-management services. |
Cardiology & Heart Surgery |
|
| Advanced technologies | Cardiac intensive care unit, multislice spiral CT, PET/CT scanner, robotic surgery, single-photon-emission CT, and heart transplant. |
| Patient services | Cardiac rehabilitation, hospice, pain-management program, palliative care, patient-controlled analgesia, translators, and wound-management services. |
Diabetes & Endocrinology |
|
| Advanced technologies | Diagnostic radioisotope services, image-guided radiation therapy, PET/CT scanner, and stereotactic radiosurgery. |
| Patient services | Genetic testing/counseling, hospice, pain-management program, palliative care, patient-controlled analgesia, translators, infection isolation room, and wound-management services. |
Ear, Nose & Throat |
|
| Advanced technologies | Stereotactic radiosurgery. |
| Patient services | Genetic testing/counseling, hospice, pain-management program, palliative care, patient-controlled analgesia, translators, infection isolation room, and wound-management services. |
Gastroenterology |
|
| Advanced technologies | Ablation of Barrett's esophagus, diagnostic radioisotope services, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, endoscopic ultrasound, image-guided radiation therapy, stereotactic radiosurgery, and transplant services. |
| Patient services | Genetic testing/counseling, hospice, pain-management program, palliative care, patient-controlled analgesia, translators, infection isolation room, and wound-management services. |
Geriatrics |
|
| NIA Alzheimer's center | Designated by National Institute on Aging as of March 1, 2011, as Alzheimer's Disease Center, denoting a high quality of research and clinical care. |
| Patient services | Alzheimer's center (differs from NIA-designated), arthritis treatment center, hospice, pain-management program, palliative care, patient-controlled analgesia, psychiatry-geriatric service, translators, and wound-management services. |
Gynecology |
|
| Advanced technologies | Full-field digital mammography, image-guided radiation therapy, PET/CT scanner, robotic surgery, and stereotactic radiosurgery. |
| Patient services | Fertility clinic, genetic testing/counseling, hospice, pain-management program, palliative care, patient-controlled analgesia, translators, infection isolation room, and wound-management services. |
Nephrology |
|
| Advanced technologies | Diagnostic radioisotope services, image-guided radiation therapy, multislice spiral CT, PET/CT scanner, robotic surgery, stereotactic radiosurgery, and transplant services. |
| Patient services | Genetic testing/counseling, hospice, pain-management program, palliative care, patient-controlled analgesia, translators, infection isolation room, and wound-management services. |
Neurology & Neurosurgery |
|
| Epilepsy center | Indicates hospital was designated a level 4 facility as of March 1, 2011, by National Association of Epilepsy Centers for meeting standards for staffing, technology, and training. Level 4 denotes a regional or national referral facility. |
| NIA Alzheimer's center | Designated by National Institute on Aging as of March 1, 2011, as Alzheimer's Disease Center, denoting a high quality of research and clinical care. |
| Advanced technologies | Diagnostic radioisotope services, image-guided radiation therapy, PET/CT scanner, single-photon-emission CT, and stereotactic radiosurgery. |
| Patient services | Alzheimer's center (not NIA-designated), genetic testing/counseling, hospice, pain-management program, palliative care, patient-controlled analgesia, translators, infection isolation room, and wound-management services. |
Orthopedics |
|
| Advanced technologies | Computer-assisted orthopedic surgery, transplant services. |
| Patient services | Arthritis treatment center, hospice, pain-management program, palliative care, patient-controlled analgesia, translators, and wound-management services. |
Pulmonology |
|
| Advanced technologies | Diagnostic radioisotope services, image-guided radiation therapy, multislice spiral CT, PET/CT scanner, stereotactic radiosurgery, and transplant services. |
| Patient services | Genetic testing/counseling, hospice, pain-management program, palliative care, patient-controlled analgesia, translators, infection isolation room, and wound-management services. |
Urology |
|
| Advanced technologies | Diagnostic radioisotope services, image-guided radiation therapy, PET/CT scanner, robotic surgery, and stereotactic radiosurgery. |
| Patient services | Fertility clinic, genetic testing/counseling, hospice, pain-management program, palliative care, patient-controlled analgesia, translators, infection isolation room, and wound-management services. |
Reader Comments Read all comments (2)