Best in nation - again

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U.S. News: 10 Texas Children’s subspecialties ranked in top 10, Heart Center and Pulmonology best in nation

In 2019, the U.S. News & World Report survey of Best Children’s Hospitals again ranked Texas Children’s Hospital among the best in the nation. Texas Children’s tied for third place among all children’s hospitals nationally, a ranking no other pediatric hospital in the state has ever achieved.

In addition, for the first time, Texas Children’s was ranked in the top 10 in each of the U.S. News & World Report-recognized pediatric subspecialties. Six Texas Children’s sub-specialties were ranked in the top three – two were ranked #1, two were ranked #2, and another two were ranked #3.

Texas Children’s entire list of rankings includes:

#1 Cardiology and Congenital Heart Surgery
#1 Pulmonology
#2 Gastroenterology and GI surgery
#2 Nephrology
#3 Neurology and Neurosurgery
#3 Cancer
#6 Urology
#7 (tie) Neonatology
#8 Diabetes and Endocrinology
#10 Orthopedics

“We should all be very proud of this remarkable accomplishment,” said Texas Children’s President and Chief Executive Officer Mark A. Wallace. “It is because of our One Amazing Team and each team member’s steadfast commitment to quality and excellence that we were able to reach this achievement. Thank you for your dedication to Texas Children’s Hospital and to the patients and families we serve.”

Some highlights of the 13th annual Best Children’s Hospitals rankings for Texas Children’s include:

Cardiology and Congenital Heart Surgery was again ranked #1 in the nation, due in part to Texas Children’s increasing the number of RNs in the PICU with more than two years of experience, and exceeding thresholds in four-year combined risk-adjusted operative mortality.
Pulmonology, which first debuted in the top spot in the 2016 rankings, was again ranked #1 in the nation. Texas Children’s decreased the percentage of patients readmitted to the hospital to address asthma-related symptoms, and exceeded thresholds in structure metrics, such as mean length of stay for asthma patients.
Nephrology moved up a spot and is now ranked #2 in the nation, with a significant decrease in hemodialysis catheter associated blood stream infection and an improvement in children younger than 5 years of age receiving hemodialysis.
Gastroenterology & GI surgery rose to #2 in the nation from #4, achieving successful Kasai procedures in biliary atresia patients and improving the percentage of patients experiencing prednisone-free admission.
Cancer is #3 in the nation, up from #6. Texas Children’s Cancer Center increased the five-year survival of patients with neuroblastoma and increased the percentage of patients who received intravenous treatment antibiotics within an hour of triage.
Neurology and Neurosurgery remained at #3 in the nation, showing a significant improvement in 30-day unplanned return to the operating room for craniotomy and a decrease in readmission within 30 days of surgery for Chiari decompression patients.

Overall, Texas Children’s exceeded nursing intensity thresholds, made significant improvement in ICU CLABSI rates and exceeded thresholds for hospital acquired pressure injuries.

U.S. News & World Report introduced the Best Children’s Hospitals rankings in 2007 to help families of children with rare or life-threatening illnesses find the best medical care available. The rankings are the most comprehensive source of quality-related information on U.S. pediatric hospitals.

The U.S. News Best Children’s Hospitals rankings rely on clinical data and on an annual survey of pediatric specialists. The rankings methodology factors in patient outcomes, such as mortality and infection rates, as well as available clinical resources and compliance with best practices.

You can learn more about Texas Children’s rankings here.