Once more — and now for an astonishing 20th year in a row — The Johns Hopkins Hospital has taken the top spot in U.S. News & World Report’s annual rankings of American hospitals. Hearty congratulations to everyone who is part of the Johns Hopkins Medicine family. As we’ve been happily accustomed to saying, the credit for this honor belongs to Hopkins Hospital’s wonderful nurses and staff, the school of medicine’s faculty physicians, residents and fellows, and to our many community physicians with whom we have close ties and on whom we greatly depend. The news is especially welcome this year as we watch our campus renewal take form and continue preparations for a leadership role in local, regional and national health care reform. Our commitment to clinical expertise, safety, and thoughtful, patient-centered expansion of Johns Hopkins Medicine is strengthened by your commitment to the innovative and compassionate care that is Hopkins’ hallmark. You are at the center of our continual search for better treatment, better answers and better discoveries. For the record, The Johns Hopkins Hospital ranked in the top five in 15 of the 16 specialty categories listed. In addition to landing in the #1 spot on the Honor Roll, the hospital ranked #1 in Ear, Nose and Throat; Gynecology, Neurology and Neurosurgery, Urology and Rheumatology; #2 in Kidney Disorders, Ophthalmology and Psychiatry; #3 in Diabetes and Endocrinology, Gastroenterology (digestive diseases), Geriatrics, Heart and Heart Surgery; #4 in Cancer and Pulmonology (respiratory diseases); #5 in Orthopedics; and #14 in Rehabilitation. For a complete list of all rankings, see InsideHopkins or go to www.insidehopkinsmedicine.org/usnews. We know that rankings and ratings all have their weaknesses and strengths, but as health care choices become increasingly important, independent evaluations continue to interest our patients, the public, referring physicians and insurers. The elements of what makes us rank high are firmly in place, and we will, as always, strive to make Hopkins Hospital the best choice year after year. All of the medical centers on the magazine’s honor roll are superb, and we are privileged to be in their good company. We congratulate each of them. But for now, our special thanks again to all of you, for all you give to Johns Hopkins.
