February 12, 2013

Children’s Hospital nationally ranked by ‘Parents’ magazine

The Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt has earned two top spots among “Parents” magazine’s best of children’s hospital lists released last week.

The Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt has earned two top spots among Parents magazine’s best of children’s hospital lists released last week.

The magazine named Children’s Hospital to the No. 13 spot among the 25 best children’s hospitals, and the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit ranked eighth in the nation for the best care of premature infants. The rankings are in the March issue of Parents, available now online and on newsstands

“Acknowledgment by this publication of such great work by the dedicated faculty and staff of Children’s Hospital is richly deserved and further highlights our role as a national leader for highly specialized, high quality health care services for children,” said C. Wright Pinson, MBA, M.D., deputy vice chancellor for Health Affairs and CEO of the Vanderbilt Health System. “We are proud to provide these highly regarded services to the children of Middle Tennessee.”

Parents magazine’s rankings are based on a survey of the hospital’s performance, including patient outcomes, hospital experience in complex procedures, the depth of the research program, patient safety efforts, staff qualifications, community outreach and services that address the emotional needs of families of outpatients and inpatients.

“We feel privileged to earn a designation as a top children’s hospital and to have our NICU recognized for its ongoing commitment to the highest level of care for our tiniest patients,” said Luke Gregory, CEO of Children’s Hospital. “These rankings speak volumes to the hard work and dedication that our physicians, nurses and staff provide daily to our children and families. We will continue to work to provide the best, most-comprehensive care to all children with varying health needs, whether treating broken bones or performing complex surgeries.”

All surveyed hospitals in the Parents magazine rankings are members of the National Association of Children’s Hospital and Related Institutions.

“The breadth and depth of our programs together with our dedicated faculty and staff enable this type of recognition as a national leader in the provision of children’s health care,” said Meg Rush M.D., chief of staff and executive medical director of Children’s Hospital. “We are fortunate to have our NICU be recognized again for excellence in the delivery of care to high-risk newborns. We congratulate all members of the Children’s Hospital health care team on their commitment and service to the children and families in our region and beyond.”

Since June, this is the third national ranking list Children’s Hospital has appeared on, with U.S. News & World Report naming the hospital in the top national rankings for a maximum of 10 out of 10 pediatric specialty programs. Leapfrog, which grades hospitals for health care safety and quality, also picked Children’s Hospital as a top achiever in December.

“The unparalleled excellence in care we strive to provide our families along with our great community partnerships and multidisciplinary programs are defining the way we care for children,” said John W. Brock III, M.D., surgeon-in-chief for Children’s Hospital, director of the Division of Pediatric Urology and Monroe Carell Jr. Chair. “We built this hospital to offer the best in care and improve the health and well-being of all children. As we expand and grow, we will only continue to build on those successes.”