Ochsner Among 25 Hospitals In America Nationally Ranked In 11 Or More Specialties Accd'ing To U.S. News

NEW ORLEANS, July 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Ochsner Medical Center and Ochsner Medical Center – West Bank Campus are among only 25 hospitals in the country to rank in the top 50 in 11 or more medical specialties, according to U.S. News & World Report's 2012-13 Best Hospitals rankings. This puts Ochsner in such esteemed company as Johns Hopkins Hospital, Massachusetts General, Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic. This is the 12th time since 1996 Ochsner has been recognized as one of the Best Hospitals in America.

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Fewer than 150 of the country's roughly 5,000 hospitals are nationally ranked; Ochsner earned national rankings in 11 of the 12 data-driven medical specialties. The rankings are based on a comprehensive evaluation of hard data, such as patient survival rates, patient safety data, nurse staffing, patient services and available technology, in addition to a reputational score based on surveyed physicians.

The hospital rankings, said U.S. News Health Rankings Editor Avery Comarow, are like a GPS-type aid to help steer patients to hospitals with strong skills in the procedures and medical conditions that present the biggest challenges. "All of these hospitals are the kinds of medical centers that should be on your list when you need the best care," said Comarow. "They are where other hospitals send the toughest cases."

Ochsner Medical Center (in conjunction with Ochsner Medical Center – West Bank Campus) was ranked #1 in Louisiana and in the New Orleans metro area and Ochsner Medical Center– Kenner was ranked #2 in the New Orleans metro area and #4 in Louisiana. They also were recognized among the Best Hospitals in Southeastern Louisiana. In addition, Ochsner Medical Center and Ochsner's West Bank Campus were named 'high performing' in Cancer and Ochsner Medical Center – Kenner in Gastroenterology, which means each met a standard of performance nearly as demanding as that of the national rankings.

Ochsner is: 

• Nationally Ranked # 10 in Diabetes and Endocrinology
• Nationally Ranked # 10 in Gastroenterology
• Nationally Ranked # 14 in Pulmonology
• Nationally Ranked # 20 in Cardiology & Heart Surgery
• Nationally Ranked # 21 in Ear, Nose & Throat
• Nationally Ranked # 22 in Gynecology
• Nationally Ranked # 22 in Orthopedics
• Nationally Ranked # 28 in Geriatrics
• Nationally Ranked # 32 in Urology
• Nationally Ranked # 37 in Nephrology
• Nationally Ranked # 44 in Neurology & Neurosurgery

"The U.S. News rankings are especially meaningful because they underscore Ochsner's demonstrated expertise and competence in delivering high-quality patient care across numerous complex clinical specialties," said Warner Thomas, President and Chief Operating Officer of Ochsner Health System. "These rankings are the most comprehensive national evaluation of hospitals and their clinical programs completed by any third party independent organization."

"Rankings such as these are extremely helpful in enabling patients to find the best," said Dr. Joseph Bisordi, Chief Medical Officer of Ochsner Health System.  "No matter where you are or what your condition, Ochsner has the capability within our system to provide you with the most sophisticated specialty care."

"While we are always focused on opportunities to improve, we are very proud that our relentless focus on quality throughout the system has led to continued and consistent advancements in our patients' outcomes, which is reflected in the U.S. News rankings," said Michael Hulefeld, CEO of Ochsner Medical Center. "I am thankful to our physicians, nurses, technicians and all of our colleagues who work to bring world-class healthcare to the Gulf South and I look forward to our continued improvement."

The rankings were published by U.S. News in collaboration with RTI International, a research organization based in Research Triangle Park, N.C. Highlights of the 2012-13 rankings will appear in the U.S. News Best Hospitals 2013 guidebook, to go on sale in August.

The complete rankings and methodology are available at http://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals.

**Ochsner's quality metrics include data from both Ochsner Medical Center and Ochsner Medical Center - West Bank Campus.

About Ochsner Health System
Ochsner Health System is southeast Louisiana's largest non-profit, academic, multi-specialty, healthcare delivery system with eight hospitals and over 38 health centers in Louisiana. Ochsner has been named the Consumer Choice for Healthcare in New Orleans for 16 consecutive years and is the only Louisiana hospital nationally recognized by U.S. News and World Report as a "Best Hospital" across eleven specialty categories. Ochsner employs more than 13,000 employees, over 850 physicians in over 90 medical specialties and subspecialties and conducts over 300 clinical research trials annually. Ochsner Health System is proud to be a tobacco-free environment. For more information, please visit ochsner.org and follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

About U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is a multi-platform publisher of news and analysis, which includes the digital-only U.S. News Weekly magazine, www.usnews.com, and www.rankingsandreviews.com. Focusing on Health, Personal Finance, Education, Travel, Cars, and Public Service/Opinion, U.S. News has earned a reputation as the leading provider of service news and information that improves the quality of life of its readers. U.S. News & World Report's signature franchise includes its News You Can Use® brand of journalism and its annual "Best" series of consumer web guides and publications that include rankings of colleges, graduate schools, hospitals, mutual funds, health plans, and more.

SOURCE Ochsner Health System