U.S. News Names 76 Texas Children's Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine Physicians as "Top Doctors"

Texas Children's has the most pediatric subspecialist "Top Doctors" in Southwest Region of the U.S.

HOUSTON, Aug. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- U.S. News has named 76 physicians from Texas Children's Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) as "Top Doctors," the highest number of physicians to be awarded this distinction at a pediatric hospital in the entire southwest region of the U.S. Included among these "Top Doctors," 31 physicians from the hospital earned an additional distinction by being honored among the top one percent in the nation in their respective specialties. For a full listing of Texas Children's "Top Doctors" please visit Texas Children's newsroom.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110801/DC45245)

"It is wonderful to see so many Texas Children's and Baylor College of Medicine physicians recognized as 'Top Doctors' in their specialties and even more exciting that so many were recognized as being in the top one percent nationally," said Dr. Mark Kline, physician-in-chief of Texas Children's Hospital and chair of the department of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine. "We strive every day to achieve the highest quality and best outcomes for the children and families we serve. This 'Top Doctors' list affirms the commitment to excellence we expect of our entire medical staff."

Listed alphabetically, the below Texas Children's and BCM physicians were not only rated as "Top Doctors," but also among the top one percent in their specialties in the U.S.

• Dr. James Adams, neonatologist
• Dr. Carol Baker, infectious diseases
• Dr. Arthur Beaudet, clinical geneticist
• Dr. Stacey Berg, hematologist-oncologist
• Dr. Susan Blaney, hematologist-oncologist
• Dr. Malcolm Brenner, hematologist
• Dr. William Craigen, clinical geneticist
• Dr. William Dreyer, cardiologist
• Dr. ZoAnn Dreyer, hematologist-oncologist
• Dr. Newton Duncan, otolaryngologist
• Dr. Charles Fraser, heart surgeon
• Dr. Ellen Friedman, otolaryngologist
• Dr. Richard Friedman, cardiologist
• Dr. Joseph Garcia-Prats, neonatalogist
• Dr. Edmond Gonzales, urologist
• Dr. Albert Hergenroeder, adolescent medicine
• Dr. Jill Hunter, neuroradiologist
• Dr. Sheldon Kaplan, infectious diseases
• Dr. Mark Kline, infectious diseases
• Dr. Richard Lewis, ophthalmologist
• Dr. Thomas Luerssen, neurosurgeon
• Dr. Douglas Moodie, cardiologist
• Dr. Barry Myones, rheumatologist
• Dr. Jed Nuchtern, surgeon
• Dr. Sharon Plon, clinical geneticist
• Dr. James Riviello, neurologist
• Dr. William Shearer, allergist-immunologist
• Dr. Charles Soparkar, ophthalmologist
• Dr. Samuel Stal, plastic surgeon
• Dr. Robert Warren, rheumatologist
• Dr. Andrew Wilking, rheumatologist

"Congratulations to all of the Texas Children's and Baylor College of Medicine surgeons honored in this listing of 'Top Doctors,'" said Dr. Charles Fraser, surgeon-in-chief and chief of congenital heart surgery at Texas Children's Hospital and professor of surgery and pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine. "This is a tremendous honor for these surgeons, Texas Children's and Baylor College of Medicine. To have numerous surgeons be recognized for their excellence and honored as among the very best at what they do is a testament to the hard work, determination and excellence these surgeons exemplify."

To determine which physicians should be awarded this distinction, U.S. News collaborated closely with Castle Connolly, which publishes America's Top Doctors and other consumer health guides. These "Top Doctors" were all recommended for their clinical skills by other doctors and individually vetted by a physician-led research team.

"For decades, the Best Hospitals rankings have helped guide patients who need an especially high level of care to hospitals that excel in providing it," said Avery Comarow, U.S. News health rankings editor. "'Top Doctors' has a similar mission. We want to help consumers find the doctors in their area who come highly recommended by other physicians."

U.S. News has included these "Top Doctors" in a free, searchable online directory that builds on the Best Hospitals rankings it releases each year.

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 ranked in the top 10 best children's hospitals by U.S.News and World Report. Texas Children's also operates the nation's largest primary pediatric care network, with over 40 offices throughout the greater Houston community. Texas Children's has embarked on a $1.5 billion expansion, Vision 2010, which includes a neurological research institute, a comprehensive obstetrics facility focusing on high risk births, and a community hospital in suburban West Houston. Get the latest Texas Children's news on Twitter: www.twitter.com/texaschildrens.

CONTACT: Jenn Blackmer, +1-832-824-2679, [email protected]

SOURCE Texas Children's Hospital