Seven of the University Medical Center's divisions are ranked in the top 50 in the nation, according to the upcoming July 18 "America's Best Hospitals" issue of U.S. News and World report.
The endocrinology division was the University's highest ranked at sixth in the nation, followed by ear, nose and throat ranked at 20th and urology at 22nd.
Endocrinology is the study of hormones, proteins, and steroids, affecting bodily functions such as metabolism, blood sugar, thyroid hormones and reproduction, according to Endocrinology Professor Alan Dalkin.
"The division is pleased that we have continued to be recognized for the excellence that we offer in our areas of progress or our careers," Dalkin said. "Rankings are broad measure of a lot of medical components, including [our department] and the U.Va. health system. It's a pat on the back for the health system, but there are a lot of factors involved.The big picture is that U.Va. is outstanding as well."
Over the past several years, the endocrinology department has remained in the top ten nationally, ranging from fifth to seventh.
"I don't know why it hasn't changed, but six is pretty good," Dalkin said. "The actual top 5 to 10 programs have been the same programs for the past 10 years. It's hard to change position when you're already in the top 10 unless major changes happen to hospital as a whole."
The list rounds out with the cancer division at 32nd, gynecology at 34th, digestive disorders at 37th and neurology and neurosurgery at 48th.
In addition to rating aspects of the entire hospital system, the rankings are based off the number of faculty, how much money is devoted to research projects and areas covered in the variety of diseases in which members of the faculty are experts.
U.S. News and World Report started polling members of the American Medical Association 16 years ago in order to help patients with severe problems, according to the magazine's Web site.
Twelve years ago the magazine compiled a methodology that rates each individual hospital equally in regards to reputation, mortality ratio, and reputational specialties. In order for hospitals to be rated by these factors, they must also meet at least one of three other requirements: serve as a member of the Council of Teaching Hospitals, have available to patients at least nine of eighteen worthwhile technology-related services, or affiliated with a medical school.According to an U.S. News and world Report Article, less than one-third of all 6,007 medical centers nationwide fit the first set of requirements.
Head of the U.S. News and World Report Hospital Rankings Avery Comarow said he eventually hopes to be able to rank individual doctors as well.
With the exceptions of New York and Pennsylvania, there is not enough public data available to assess the quality of doctors across specialties, according to Comarow.
"Part of the message of the Best Hospital project is that hospitals are just the starting point -- you have to do your homework," Comarow said. "If what you're interested in having done is rare and difficult, you can start with the hospital rankings in that specialty, but there is no guarantee that the best physician is going to be at the number one hospital. The surgeon is where medical rubber meets the road."
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