The 10 Best Hospitals in the United States

The right hospital could mean a faster recovery.
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If you're one of the lucky ones, you'll only need to visit the hospital a handful of times – maybe even never. But for those who are more accident-prone, or suffer from a chronic illness, use these rankings to choose the best hospital near you. US News & World Report takes the time to survey nearly 10,000 specialists and comb through through data about death rates, patient safety, and more to pick 148 hospitals that excel at various specialties. The following 10 hospitals were at the top of the class in at least six specialties.

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Massachusetts General Hospital

Mass General doctors take special care with every patient.

Located in Boston, this hospital is ranked in the top 10 nationally in 15 different adult specialties. Patients around the country come to this hospital for everything from cancer treatment to gynecology specialists, and it gets top marks for having courteous and respectful staff members. They also offer in-house services, like interpreters who speak more than 11 languages, and have a Nobel Prize winner, Jack W. Szostak, PhD, on staff.

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Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore

The gardens at Johns Hopkins Hospital help patients relax during their recovery.
Callaway Gardens

Just like Mass General, Johns Hopkins Hospital also boasts a top 10 ranking for 15 adult specialties as well as five pediatric specialties. It's ranked #1 in Neurology and Geriatrics and highly ranked in several other specialties. While you're healing (or waiting for a family member or friend), make use of the hospital's calming gardens, meditation rooms and other quiet places to find peace.

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Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota

At Mayo Clinic they know that a team of doctors can accomplish more than one doctor ever could.
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Though most people may not want to spend their winters in this chilly city, it's a destination for people looking for the most advanced treatment in diabetes, gastroenterological issues and more. Mayo Clinic was also one of the first hospitals to adopt a teamwork approach, allowing doctors and researchers from various specialties and services to weigh in on a patient and find a treatment solution.

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Cleveland Clinic

Cleveland Clinic takes care of your heart.
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Ranked #1 for Cardiology and heart surgery, Cleveland is your destination for cardiovascular troubles. If seizures plague you, The Epilepsy Center uses an advanced imaging technology available to only a few institutions around the world that measures magnetic fields to determine what area of the brain is causing your seizures. It was also a forerunner in patient safety, keeping medical errors to a minimum. And if you're staying for awhile, there are amenities aplenty on campus, including fitness activities, chair massages and even barber and beauty services!

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Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles

Doctors teleconference to help patients virtually.
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Ranking highly in Geriatrics, Urology and Ophthalmology, Ronald Reagan Medical Center also received high marks for informing outpatients what they needed to do to make a full recovery. It also boasts the largest complex of integrated operating rooms built to-date, each with full audiovisual integration systems. Using only their voices, surgeons can select from 3 camera feeds, record a procedure on DVD, bring up data, and even host a video conference with other doctors at other location during surgery. There's even a special green light that improves vision!

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Barnes-Jewish Hospital/Washington University, St. Louis

Nothing is more important than a good set of nurses!
DCI

This Midwest hospital is in the top 10 for eight specialties, including Orthopedics and Neurology & Neuroscience. But its bragging rights extend beyond medical specialties; it is a Magnet Hospital, which is an honor designated for excellence in nursing that only five percent of hospitals receive. The medical center is also the home to groundbreaking surgeries. In 2003, Dr. Randal Paniello restored a woman's voice, which had been lost to cancer, by building a new larynx from tissue in her arm. It was the first time the surgery has been done successfully by any doctor in the U.S.

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New York-Presbyterian University Hospital of Columbia and Cornell, New York

These doctors certainly have something to be smiling about.
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How's this for bragging rights? In 2013, more physicians from this hospital were named to America's Top Doctors, an intense annual survey conducted by Castle Connolly Medical, than from any other hospital in the nation. Ranking high in Cardiology, Nephrology and other specialties, this hospital is a destination for New Yorkers. For the eco-conscious patient, New York-Presbyterian also has received eight ENERGY STAR awards, the EPA and DOE's award for sustainability and energy efficiency.

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Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina

Duke University Medical Center: taking care of your lungs since 1925.

Known for its advanced Pulmonology and Gynecology departments, Duke is a university hospital with an impeccable reputation. They put a lot of time and energy into building a strong staff and have received the American Board of Nursing Specialties Award for Nursing Certification Advocacy, for supporting nurses who was to get certified. One of their clinical oncologists, Dr. Kimberly Blackwell, was included in Time's most influential people of the year. But that's not all – the Duke Medicine Patient Safety Center is taking steps to develop and implement best practices for patient safety and hopes to take them to a national level.

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Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston

Brigham and Women's Hospital ranks in the top 10 hospitals for Gynecology.
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Though Mass General is an excellent hospital, it's not the only one in Boston who is winning awards. Brigham and Women's Hospital was ranked in the top 10 for seven specialties, including Cancer and Gynecology. It gets top marks for innovation and leads the country in cartilage repair and in face transplant surgery, having performed three full face surgeries since 2009. This hospital is also on the forefront of robotic surgery, using FDA-approved surgical systems to perform minimally invasive gynecologic and urologic procedures.

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UPMC-University of Pittsburg Medical Center

An MRI or magnetic resonance imaging takes internal pictures of the body to show medical issues that cannot be seen with other imaging.
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Ranked first in the state of Pennsylvania, UPMC ranks highly in Gastroenterology, Pulmonology and Ear, Nose and Throat specialties. Using the latest technology to treat a variety of conditions, UPMC is especially proud of their ability to utilize MRI-guided deep brain stimulation for movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease. They are also with you when you leave the hospital. With their mobile app UPMC HealthTrak, you can see test results, review your prescriptions, communicate with your doctor and manage upcoming appointments.

Lots More Information

Related Articles

  • US News & World Report. "Best Hospitals." (June 28, 2013) http://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals
  • Massachusetts General Hospital. "Hospital Overview." (June 28, 2013)http://www.massgeneral.org/about/overview.aspx
  • Johns Hopkins Medicine. "Patient and Visitor Amenities." (July 1, 2013) http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/the_johns_hopkins_hospital/patients_visitors/
  • Mayo Clinic. "Why Choose Mayo Clinic." (July 1, 2013) http://www.mayoclinic.org/why-choose/index.html
  • Cleveland Clinic. "Epilepsy Center." (June 28, 2013) http://my.clevelandclinic.org/neurological_institute/epilepsy/default.aspx
  • UCLA Health. "About the Medical Center: Designed for Comfort and Efficiency." (June 28, 2013) http://my.clevelandclinic.org/neurological_institute/epilepsy/default.aspx
  • Barnes-Jewish Hospital. "Awards and Honors." (July 1, 2013) http://www.barnesjewish.org/us-news-rankings-best-hospitals-in-america
  • New York Presbyterian Hospital. "Awards and Recognition." (June 28, 2013) http://nyp.org/about/energy-star-award.html
  • Duke Health. "Health Library: News." (July 1, 2013). http://www.dukehealth.org/health_library/news/duke-breast-cancer-expert-named-one-of-time-s-100-most-influential-people
  • Brigham and Women's Hospital. "About BWH." (July 1, 2013). http://brighamandwomens.org/About_BWH/default.aspx
  • UPMC. "Why UPMC?" (July 1, 2013). http://www.upmc.com/about/why-upmc/Pages/default.aspx

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