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UW Hospital and Clinics ranked high by U.S. News

July 9, 1999

UW Hospital and Clinics ranks among the top two percent of the nation’s major medical centers in ten medical specialties, according to the tenth edition of U.S. News and World Report’s “America’s Best Hospitals” guide.

The guide offers an assessment of care in 16 specialties at 1,881 major medical centers. UW Hospital was ranked among the top two percent in the following categories:

  • Ophthalmology
  • Rheumatology
  • Urology
  • Endocrinology
  • Geriatrics
  • Otolaryngology
  • Cardiology/heart surgery
  • Orthopedics
  • Cancer
  • Gastroenterology

In last year’s survey, UW was recognized in eight categories. This year, it was again recognized for those same specialties, plus orthopedics and cardiology/heart surgery.

“UW Hospital has appeared consistently over the years in the listing, as well as many others,” said Gordon Derzon, UW Hospital chief executive officer. “It is an honor to be included in such a select group. The physicians, nurses and other staff who helped make this possible deserve the heartiest congratulations.”

Derzon cautioned, however, that no single measurement adequately captures any institution’s quality of care. Every methodology has its limitations. Consistency over time through various methodologies is a more reliable indicator of quality of care, he stressed.

There are 6,299 hospitals in the country. Of that group, U. S. News analyzed care at 1,881 major teaching institutions that are at the forefront of sophisticated care. Of that group, 188 hospitals (including UW) scored high enough to be ranked. The magazine listed the top 50 hospitals in 12 of the 16 categories and smaller numbers in the four categories ranked only by reputation.

Four categories-pediatrics, psychiatry, ophthalmology and rehabilitation-are ranked based on a reputational score alone. The other 12 categories are assessed based on reputation, mortality rates and a mix of other data.