Penn State Children’s Hospital ranks among best

HERSHEY — For the sixth consecutive year, Penn State Children’s Hospital has been ranked among the best children’s hospitals in multiple specialties by U.S. News and World Report.

Penn State Children’s Hospital ranked in cancer, neonatology, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopedics and urology in the 2016-2017 rankings. This marks the first time the hospital has been ranked in neonatology, singling out the care provided by the region’s highest-level neonatal intensive care unit.

“The recognition of our neonatology program is a testament to the high quality care we provide to our hospital’s most fragile newborn patients,” said Dr. Barbara Ostrov, interim chair of pediatrics at Penn State Children’s Hospital. “Once again, and equally important, our programs are highlighted in multiple specialties. This well-deserved, continued recognition exemplifies the wonderful care provided by our nurses, doctors, therapists and the many others in our outstanding health care teams.”

The U.S. News rankings highlight the top 50 U.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.

“These rankings reinforce for our community that families don’t have to travel beyond Hershey for the highest level of pediatric specialty care,” said Dr. A. Craig Hillemeier, dean of Penn State College of Medicine, chief executive officer of Penn State Health, and Penn State’s senior vice president for health affairs. “When central Pennsylvania families need Penn State Children’s Hospital, a team of highly skilled and compassionate providers work together to achieve the best outcome for each child and family.”

U.S. News introduced the Best Children’s Hospitals rankings in 2007 to help families of sick children find the best medical care available, especially for complex conditions. The rankings offer families an array of detailed information about each hospital’s performance. This year, 78 hospitals ranked in at least one specialty. Penn State Children’s Hospital first made the list in 2008.

The U.S. News Best Children’s Hospitals rankings rely on clinical data — including survival rates, adequacy of nurse staffing and procedure volumes — and on an annual survey of pediatric specialists.