Best Hospitals 2007
Terms in the Rankings
Honor Roll
Recognizes hospitals that scored very high in at least six specialty rankings. Their order in the Honor Roll is by total points—hospitals were awarded 1 point per specialty for a score higher than 2 standard deviations (a statistical yardstick) above the mean and 2 points for scoring 3 or more SDs above the mean.
Regions
Northeast: Conn., Maine, Mass., N.H., N.J., N.Y., Pa., R.I., Vt.
South: Ala., Ark., D.C., Del., Fla., Ga., Ky., La., Md., Miss., N.C., Okla., S.C., Tenn., Texas, Va., W.Va.
Midwest: Ill., Ind., Iowa, Kan., Mich., Minn., Mo., N.D., Neb., Ohio, S.D., Wis.
West: Alaska, Ariz., Calif., Colo., Hawaii, Idaho, Mont., Nev., N.M., Ore., Utah, Wash., Wyo.
U.S. News Score
Calculated for hospitals in 12 specialties to summarize overall quality of inpatient care. One third of each hospital's score is based on reputation, one third on mortality, and one third on a mix of other factors that varies by specialty, such as number of discharges, nursing care, and technology. A score of 100 is assigned to each specialty's top-ranked hospital. In four other specialties (Ophthalmology, Psychiatry, Rehabilitation, and Rheumatology), ranking is determined solely by reputation.
Reputation (%)
Indicates the percentage of board-certified physicians responding to U.S. News surveys in 2005, 2006, and 2007 who cited the hospital as among the best in their specialty for patients with difficult conditions.
Mortality index
Compares the number of deaths with the number predicted (after adjusting for severity of condition), based on Medicare inpatients treated at the hospital in 2003, 2004, and 2005. If the number was equal to the number predicted, the mortality index is 1.00. Above 1.00 means worse than predicted; below 1.00 means better. Deaths counted occurred within 30 days from the date of admission except in Cancer, in which deaths are from admission to discharge.
Discharges
Total number of Medicare inpatients who received specified medical and surgical care during 2003, 2004, and 2005.
Nursing index
Indicates relative balance of nurses to patients; higher is better. Nurses must be on-staff RNS, not temps or from agencies. Nurses are counted in "full-time equivalents"—two half-time nurses, for example, equal one full-time equivalent. Patients are an adjusted daily average of inpatients and outpatients, giving more weight to inpatients.
Nurse Magnet hospital
Indicates whether as of April 1, 2007, the hospital satisfied standards set by the American Nurses Credentialing Center for nursing excellence.
Advanced services
Indicates how many key technologies and capabilities are offered. There are 14 in all, but the maximum number varies by specialty (seven in Cancer and two in Geriatrics, for example). They include infection isolation room, robotic surgery, shaped beam radiation, and stereotactic radiosurgery. One point is awarded for on-site availability, half a point if nearby but off-site.
Patient services
Indicates how many services believed key to the overall quality of a patient's stay are offered. There are 12 altogether; the maximum number varies from a high of nine in Geriatrics to a low of six in several specialties. Examples include arthritis treatment center, patient-controlled pain relief, hospice and/or palliative care, and translators. One point is awarded for on-site availability, half a point if nearby but off-site.
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