Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA ranked among nation's best pediatric hospitals

Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA ranks among the nation's top pediatric hospitals, according to the U.S. News Media Group's annual survey of the finest pediatric facilities in the United States.

 

The 2009 edition of "America's Best Children's Hospitals" is currently available online and will be published in the August issue of U.S. News & World Report, on newsstands July 21.

 

The survey is the most extensive listing of its kind and includes hospital rankings in 10 pediatric specialties. Nationally, Mattel Children's Hospital was recognized for excellence in nine of the 10 categories, including kidney disorders (ranked No. 3), digestive disorders (8), neurology and neurosurgery (12), heart and heart surgery (14), diabetes and endocrine disorders (15), urology (16), cancer (16), neonatal care (21), and orthopedics (26).

 

"By combining the overall scores of each category for all hospitals ranked in the survey, we also calculated that Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA ranked 12th in the nation and second in the state of California," said the hospital's physician-in-chief, Dr. Edward R.B. McCabe, who holds the Mattel Executive Endowed Chair in the UCLA Department of Pediatrics. "We are especially proud that two of our programs — kidney disorders and digestive disorders — were ranked the highest on the West Coast and our neurology and neurosurgery program was ranked the highest in the state. Great care is delivered to the children and families at Mattel Children's Hospital every day, and these rankings are a salute to our dedicated doctors, nurses and staff."

 

This year's rankings weighed a three-part blend of reputation, outcomes and care-related measures such as nursing care, advanced technology, credentialing and other factors. Hospitals were judged based on a combination of opinions from pediatric specialists about hospitals they would recommend for the sickest children and data gathered in a 65-page survey covering important hospital information, ranging from surgical death rates to whether pediatric anesthesiologists and other subspecialists are on staff. The U.S. News & World Report website offers a detailed description of the methodology.

 

Ranking-eligible facilities were largely drawn from two membership categories of the National Association of Children's Hospitals and Related Institutions (NACHRI): free-standing children's hospitals and large, multidisciplinary pediatric departments within medical centers. Several non-NACHRI members were added to the rankings because of known expertise or because they were recommended by experts. Of the 160 children's hospitals invited to complete the 65-page survey, 98 responded. The survey was created and administered by RTI International, which also collects the data and oversees the methodology for the annual "Best Hospitals" rankings in U.S. News & World Report.

 

"While they might be a small percentage of all hospital patients, a large number of children every year need high-quality hospital care," said U.S. News' health rankings editor Avery Comarow. "The objective of the 'Best Children's Hospitals' rankings is to help children with uniquely challenging medical needs, and for these special patients, it is essential they seek treatment at pediatric facilities with deep expertise. With this year's rankings, we are providing important information on the best of the best."

 

Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA, one of the highest-rated children's hospitals in California, is a vital component of Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, ranked by U.S. News & World Report as the No. 3 hospital in nation and best in the Western United States. Mattel Children's Hospital offers a full spectrum of primary and specialized medical care for infants, children and adolescents. The hospital's mission is to provide state-of-the-art treatment for children in a compassionate atmosphere and to improve the understanding and treatment of pediatric diseases.

 

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