U-M's C.S. Mott Children's Hospital earns top rankings from U.S. News & World Report

Mott is fourth in the country for heart surgery, ranked among the best nationwide in all 10 evaluated pediatric specialties

ANN ARBOR, Mich., June 5, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The University of Michigan's C.S. Mott Children's Hospital is among the best children's hospitals in the country in pediatric specialties and is the only hospital in Michigan ranked in all 10 specialties evaluated, according to the U.S. News & World Report's 2012-13 Best Children's Hospitals rankings.

C.S. Mott is nationally ranked in all 10 of the evaluated categories including 4th in the country in heart care and heart surgery, 14th in orthopedics, 17th in endocrinology and among the country's best in cancer, gastroenterology, nephrology, neurology and neurosurgery, neonatology, pulmonology and urology.

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

"We are extremely proud and pleased to be once again recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a comprehensive children's hospital in all of the specialty pediatric disciplines," says Valerie Castle, M.D., Ravitz professor and chair of the Department of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases and a pediatric oncologist.

Chris Dickinson, M.D., interim executive director of C.S. Mott Children's Hospital, said he's glad that U.S. News and World Report has recognized the tremendous care provided for the children at C.S. Mott Children's Hospital.

"These top rankings in a variety of specialties illustrate the broad spectrum of strengths and skills among our C.S. Mott faculty and staff. It's that expertise that makes it possible for us to provide exemplary care for patients and families from Michigan and around the world," says Dickinson, who also is a professor of pediatric gastroenterology.

C.S. Mott's highest ranking was in heart care and heart surgery, 4th in the nation.

C.S. Mott's Congenital Heart Center performs over 850 cardiac operations each year -- from the most common to the most complex. As an international referral center for children with complex congenital heart problems, U-M has the second largest congenital heart program in the United States.

"In our congenital heart program and all of our programs, we offer excellent clinical care to the sickest of children," says John Park, M.D., surgeon-in-chief for Mott Children's Hospital. "It is especially gratifying to be ranked in all clinical categories. We are proud of the breadth of expertise of our physicians, nurses and clinical support staff."

Since the 2007 debut of Best Children's Hospitals, the U.S. News and World Report rankings has put an increasing emphasis on data that directly reflect hospitals' performance over the opinions of physicians.

This year, U.S. News surveyed 178 pediatric centers to obtain hard data such as availability of key resources and ability to prevent complications and infections. The hospital survey made up 75 percent of the rankings. A separate reputational survey in which 1,500 pediatric specialists — 150 in each specialty — were asked where they would send the sickest children in their specialty made up the remaining 25 percent.

The full rankings and methodology are available at www.usnews.com/childrenshospitals. The rankings will also be published in the U.S. News Best Hospitals 2013 guidebook, which will be available in August.

About U-M C.S. Mott Children's Hospital:  C.S. Mott moved to a new home in December 2011. The $754 million hospital features a 1.1 million square foot, 348-bed facility that is home to Mott Children's Hospital, the Von Voigtlander Women's Hospital, and adult and pediatric blood and marrow transplant programs. The new hospital features a 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 also offers 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