U-M C.S. Mott Children's Hospital Earns Top Rankings from U.S. News & World Report

Mott is third in the country in heart surgery and was ranked among the best in the country in all 10 evaluated pediatric specialties

ANN ARBOR, Mich., May 17, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The University of Michigan's C.S. Mott Children's Hospital has earned the highest rankings in the state of Michigan and is among the best in the country in pediatric specialties according to the U.S. News Media Group's Best Children's Hospital rankings.

Mott is nationally ranked in all 10 of the evaluated categories including 3rd in the country in heart care and heart surgery, 13th in orthopedics, 18th in neonatology and among the country's best in cancer, diabetes, gastroenterology, nephrology, neurology and neurosurgery, pulmonology and urology.

The new rankings recognize the top 50 children's hospitals in 10 specialties: cancer, cardiology and heart surgery, diabetes and endocrinology, gastroenterology, neonatology, nephrology, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopedics, pulmonology, and urology. Seventy-six hospitals were ranked in at least one specialty.

"It is tremendous to once again see our clinical programs and services at the University of Michigan's C.S. Mott Children's Hospital recognized as being amongst the best in the nation," says Valerie Castle, M.D., Ravitz professor and chair of the Department of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases and a pediatric oncologist.

Patricia A. Warner, M.P.H., executive director of C.S. Mott Children's Hospital, says she is excited to be recognized among the best in the nation.

"These top rankings in a variety of specialties illustrate the strength, skill, and exemplary care our faculty and staff provide patients and families from Michigan and around the world," Warner says.

In its fifth year, Best Children's Hospitals pulls together clinical and operational data from a lengthy survey, completed by the majority of the 177 hospitals asked to participate for the 2011-12 rankings. The survey asks hundreds of questions about survival rates, nurse staffing, subspecialist availability, and many more pieces of critical information difficult or impossible for those in charge of a child's care to find on their own. The data from the survey is combined with recommendations from pediatric specialists on the hospitals they consider best for children with challenging problems.

"We offer excellent clinical care to the sickest of children from around the world," says Ronald Hirschl, M.D., surgeon-in-chief for U-M C.S. Mott Children's Hospital. "To be ranked in all clinical categories is particularly gratifying and reflects the breadth of expertise of our physicians, nurses and clinical support staff."

The rankings are available now online at www.usnews.com/childrenshospitals. They will also appear in the Best Hospitals print guide published by U.S. News on newsstands Aug. 30.

U-M C.S. Mott Children's Hospital will move to a new home in November. The $754 million hospital project, the largest in the state, features a 1.1 million square foot, 348-bed facility that be a new home to Mott Children's Hospital, the Von Voigtlander Women's Hospital, and adult and pediatric blood and marrow transplant programs. The new hospital will feature a new 12-story inpatient tower and 9-story clinic tower, a dedicated pediatric emergency department, an on-site Ronald McDonald House, and private rooms. The new hospital will provide a new and larger home for specialty services not offered anywhere else in Michigan for newborns, children and pregnant women.

To learn more about C.S. Mott Children's Hospital, visit www.mottchildren.org.

SOURCE University of Michigan Health System