UNC Medical Center in Chapel Hill has been ranked nationally by U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Hospitals” report for 2019-2020 with five specialties recognized as among the best in the nation.
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — UNC Medical Center in Chapel Hill has been ranked nationally across five adult specialties in U.S. News & World Report’s annual “Best Hospitals” report, released today.
To be nationally ranked in a specialty, a facility must be rated among the top 50 hospitals in the nation for that specialty. For 2019-20, UNC Medical Center is nationally ranked in the specialties of:
- Ear, Nose & Throat #16
- Cancer #27
- Gynecology #29
- Nephrology #29
- Gastroenterology & GI Surgery #42
In June, UNC Children’s was nationally ranked in seven pediatric specialties in U.S. News’ “Best Children’s Hospitals 2019-2020” report. Those pediatric specialties included:
- Diabetes and Endocrinology #16
- Pulmonology #16
- Orthopedics #23
- Nephrology #30
- Cancer #36
- Gastroenterology & GI Surgery #36
- Urology #37.
UNC REX Noted for Group of Surgical Procedures and Chronic Conditions
As part of its Best Hospitals rankings, U.S. News evaluated more than 4,500 hospitals for their handling of nine surgical procedures and chronic conditions: colon cancer surgery, lung cancer surgery, COPD, heart failure, heart bypass surgery, aortic valve surgery, abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, knee replacement, and hip replacement.
Nearly a third of hospitals earned a rating of high performing in at least one procedure or condition, but only 57 standouts, barely one percent of hospitals evaluated, got that top rating in all nine. UNC REX Healthcare was among this one percent.
High Performing
A rating of “high performing” from U.S. News indicates the hospital achieved a high score for that specialty but was outside the top-50 rankings nationally. UNC Medical Center received high performing ratings in the specialties of Psychiatry, Pulmonology & Lung Surgery and Rheumatology and also received high performing scores across six common adult procedures and conditions including Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair, Aortic Valve Surgery, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Colon Cancer Surgery, Heart Bypass Surgery, Heart Failure, and Cancer Surgery.
Both Nash UNC Health Care in Rocky Mount, NC, and Wayne UNC Health Care in Goldsboro, NC was rated high performing in the common adult condition of Heart Failure.
Johnston Health in Smithfield, NC was rated high performing in the common adult conditions of Heart Failure and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).
In overall ratings, UNC Medical Center was ranked by U.S. News as the #2 hospital in North Carolina and the Triangle. UNC REX was ranked the #3 hospital in the Triangle and the #7 hospital in the state.
“I am extremely proud of the physicians and co-workers across our hospitals who work each day to fulfill our mission and are responsible for this outstanding recognition,” said Wesley Burks, MD, CEO of UNC Health Care and Dean of the UNC School of Medicine. “As North Carolina’s health care system, the people of our state can be confident in the expert care and compassion provided at our hospitals.
Adult Rankings Methodology
U.S. News Best Hospitals reviews hospitals’ performance in adult and pediatric clinical specialties, procedures, and conditions. Scores are based on a number of factors including survival, patient safety, nurse staffing, and more.
For 12 of the 16 specialties, rankings are determined by an extensive data-driven analysis combining performance measures in three primary dimensions of healthcare: structure, process/expert opinion, and outcomes. In the four other specialties, ranking relies solely on expert opinion. Greater methodology details can be found on the U.S. News website.
About UNC Health Care
UNC Health Care is an integrated health care system owned by the state of North Carolina and based in Chapel Hill. It exists to further the teaching mission of the University of North Carolina and to provide state-of-the-art patient care.
UNC Health Care is comprised of UNC Medical Center in Chapel Hill, ranked consistently among the best medical centers in the country; the UNC School of Medicine, a nationally eminent research institution; Pardee UNC Health Care in Hendersonville; Chatham Hospital in Siler City; Johnston Health in Clayton and Smithfield; UNC Lenoir Health Care in Kinston; Wayne UNC Health Care in Goldsboro; Caldwell UNC Health Care in Lenoir; Nash UNC Health Care in Rocky Mount; UNC Rockingham Health Care in Eden, Onslow Memorial Hospital in Jacksonville, UNC REX Healthcare and its provider network in Wake County; and the UNC Physicians Network. For more information, please visit www.unchealthcare.org.
Media contact: Phil Bridges, 919-457-6347, phil.bridges@unchealth.unc.edu