Texas Children's Hospital Ranked Among Nation's Best Pediatric Institutions by U.S.News & World Report

One of only 11 children's hospitals nationally, and the only one in the entire southern region, to earn "Honor Roll" distinction

HOUSTON, May 17, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Texas Children's Hospital has once again been named as a national leader among pediatric hospitals in U.S.News & World Report's 2011 edition of Best Children's Hospitals. One of only 11 hospitals in the nation to achieve the Honor Roll designation, Texas Children's is the only hospital in Texas – and the entire southern region of the U.S. – awarded this distinction. For more information, visit www.usnews.texaschildrens.org.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110517/DC03703)

"We are thrilled that U.S. News has once again recognized Texas Children's as one of the nation's best pediatric hospitals," said Texas Children's President and CEO Mark A. Wallace. "The honor bestowed on Texas Children's by U.S. News and our peers in the medical community only helps to reaffirm our commitment to providing the highest quality patient care, education and research for treating childhood diseases and disorders."

The comprehensive survey ranks children's hospitals across 10 major subspecialties. For the third consecutive year, Texas Children's ranks in the top ten for nine out of 10 categories. In fact, Texas Children's is the only hospital in the central, southern and western regions that ranked in the top 10 in nine out of 10 categories.

Texas Children's, along with academic partner Baylor College of Medicine (BCM), is leading the way in compassionate pediatric care and earns the Honor Roll distinction by being ranked among America's best in:

• #4 Cancer
• #4 Cardiology & Heart Surgery
• #4 Gastroenterology (digestive disorders)
• #4 Neurology & Neurosurgery
• #5 Neonatology
• #5 Nephrology (kidney disorders)
• #5 Pulmonology
• #8 Urology
• #10 Diabetes & Endocrinology
• #15 Orthopedics

In 2009 U.S. News began a new system, ranking pediatric hospitals across 10 major subspecialties, as opposed to providing an overall ranking.

"Our physicians, researchers, clinicians and employees work tirelessly throughout the year to ensure kids receive the highest level of health care," said Dr. Mark Kline, physician-in-chief of Texas Children's and chair of the department of pediatrics at BCM. "To have U.S. News recognize the incredible service provided by our team at Texas Children's, and those at other exemplary pediatric institutions throughout the country, is truly an honor."

The rankings are a result of a methodology that weighed a combination of reputation, outcome and care-related measures such as nursing care, advanced technology and credentialing, among other factors. The hospitals were judged based on a combination of opinions from pediatric specialists about the hospitals they would recommend for the sickest children and data gathered in an extensive survey of the hospitals themselves.

The 2011 edition of Best Children's Hospitals is available online at www.usnews.com/childrenshospitals and will be featured in the August issue of U.S.News & World Report available on newsstands Aug. 30.

About Texas Children's Hospital

Texas Children's Hospital is committed to a community of healthy children by providing the finest pediatric patient care, education and research. Renowned worldwide for its expertise and breakthrough developments in clinical care and research, Texas Children's is nationally ranked in all ten subspecialties in U.S.News & World Report's list of Best Children's Hospitals. Texas Children's also operates the nation's largest primary pediatric care network, with more than 40 offices throughout the greater Houston community. Texas Children's has embarked on a $1.5 billion expansion, Vision 2010, which includes the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute; the Texas Children's Pavilion for Women, a comprehensive obstetrics/gynecology facility focusing on high-risk births and Texas Children's Hospital West Campus, a community hospital in suburban West Houston. For more information on Texas Children's Hospital, go to www.texaschildrens.org. Get the latest news from Texas Children's Hospital by visiting the online newsroom and on Twitter at twitter.com/texaschildrens.

Contact: Jenn Blackmer
832-824-2679
[email protected]

SOURCE Texas Children's Hospital