Cincinnati Children’s Among Top Five Pediatric Hospitals

Monday, December 29, 2008

Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center is one of the top five children’s hospitals in the United States, according to a Parents magazine survey. Cincinnati Children’s ranked fourth among more than 100 children’s hospitals.

The rankings are based primarily on overall quality. In addition, Parents judged hospitals on pediatric specialty areas. Cincinnati Children’s ranked in the top 10 in newborn intensive care, cancer care, heart care, pulmonary care and emergency care.

Parents conducted its survey to help parents determine where the more than three million children hospitalized each year can get the best care possible. The results of the extensive survey will appear in the February 2009 issue of Parents, on newsstands nationwide January 13, 2009.

“Every parent wants to make the most informed decisions about their child’s health, and that’s especially important when a child is facing a serious illness,” says Dana Points, editor of Parents. “We created this guide with the hope of making the difficult process of choosing the right hospital a little easier.”

The Parents 10 Best Children’s Hospitals survey provides a data-driven comparison of children’s hospitals. All surveyed hospitals are members of the National Association of Children’s Hospitals and Related Institutions.

Hospitals are ranked on their responses to detailed questions in the following areas: survival rates for childhood cancer, pediatric heart disease, and other critical conditions; their experience in performing certain complex procedures; the depth of the research program; safeguards to prevent medical errors; staffing ratios and quality; waiting times in the emergency department; community outreach; and services that address the emotional needs of sick children and their families. 

About Parents
Parents, published monthly by Meredith Corporation, has been America's #1 family magazine for more than 80 years. Since its inception in 1926, it has been a trusted source by every generation of parents. Currently, the magazine is a powerful community of 15.6 million readers devoted to supporting the efforts of parents, educators and other citizens who strive to make the world a better place for our children. Parents can be found online at www.parents.com.

About Cincinnati Children’s
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center is one of America’s top three children’s hospitals for general pediatrics and is highly ranked for its expertise in digestive diseases, respiratory diseases, cancer, neonatal care, heart care and neurosurgery, according to the annual ranking of best children's hospitals by U.S. News & World Report. One of the three largest children’s hospitals in the U.S., Cincinnati Children’s is affiliated with the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and is one of the top two recipients of pediatric research grants from the National Institutes of Health.

For its achievements in transforming healthcare, Cincinnati Children's is one of six U.S. hospitals since 2002 to be awarded the American Hospital Association-McKesson Quest for Quality Prize® for leadership and innovation in quality, safety and commitment to patient care. The hospital is a national and international referral center for complex cases, so that children with the most difficult-to-treat diseases and conditions receive the most advanced care leading to better outcomes.