Wolfson Children’s named to U.S. News’ 50 Best Children’s Hospitals

What does that mean to parents and patients?

Jacksonville, Florida, June 26, 2018 — Today, U.S. News & World Report announced that it has ranked Wolfson Children’s Hospital among the top 50 hospitals in two specialties in its 2018-19 Best Children’s Hospitals rankings: pediatric neurology & neurosurgery and pediatric cancer. Services provided at Wolfson Children’s Hospital are provided by pediatric specialists with Nemours Children’s Specialty Care, Jacksonville, and the University of Florida College of Medicine – Jacksonville.

Michael D. Aubin, Wolfson Children’s Hospital president, said, “The U.S. News Best Children’s Hospitals rankings are designed to help parents determine where they can get the best medical care for their children. Thanks to our strong partnerships with Nemours Children’s Specialty Care and the UF College of Medicine – Jacksonville, we are able to provide some of the best pediatric care in the nation.”

“Our team at the University of Florida College of Medicine – Jacksonville values collaborating with the great staff at Wolfson Children’s and Nemours to bring the best medical care and outcomes to the children in the greater Jacksonville community and beyond,” said Mark Hudak, MD, chair of the Department of Pediatrics at the UF College of Medicine – Jacksonville. “By highlighting two specific programs at Wolfson Children’s, U.S. News validates the excellence that partners who work together can achieve for the benefit of children and families. The community should also understand that the programs at Wolfson Children’s that U.S. News did not explicitly recognize are also among the finest in the country.”

Gary Josephson, MD, MBA, FACS, FAAP, chief medical officer of Nemours Children’s Specialty Care, Jacksonville, said, "From injuries on the field to life-changing care, Nemours world-class physicians work tirelessly through our affiliation with Wolfson Children's Hospital to fulfill our promise of being shared guardians of children’s health and joy. These U.S. News & World Report rankings recognize the dedication, expertise and teamwork of Nemours physicians working with Wolfson Children’s nurses and staff, as well as our research to advance the highest quality care for children and I could not be more proud.”

U.S. News & World Report began ranking children’s hospitals in 2007 on their ability to help children, particularly those with rare or complex medical conditions such as cancer; congenital heart disease; diabetes and metabolic disorders; brain, spine and nervous system conditions; diseases of the digestive tract and more.

“The U.S. News Best Children’s Hospitals highlight pediatric centers that deliver state-of-the-art medical care to children with complex conditions,” said Ben Harder, chief of Health Analysis at U.S. News. “Children with life-threatening or rare conditions need the level of quality care that these hospitals deliver day after day.”

How does a children’s hospital get ranked in the top 50?

One-third of each hospital's score relates to survival, infections, surgical complications and other medical outcomes. Hospital reputation, based on an annual survey of pediatric specialists and subspecialists in each of the 10 specialties, makes up 16.7 percent, or one-sixth, of a hospital's score. The remaining 50 percent evaluates a hospital's commitment to safety, excellence and respect for patients. A few examples of these might include a count of specific ways in which a hospital minimizes infections, the number of fellowship programs offered and the extent to which families are involved in a child's care. Survival rates, adequacy of nurse staffing, procedure volume and much more can be viewed on health.usnews.com/best-hospitals/pediatric-rankings.

Parents and caregivers have to decide for themselves whether they want to put more or less weight on particular factors, said U.S. News on their website. Ultimately, these rankings allow parents to choose their child’s health care provider based on data about a hospital’s quality of care.

For more information on the U.S. News rankings, visit Best Children’s Hospitals and use #BestHospitals on Facebook and Twitter.