Baptist Health Lexington is Ky.'s best hospital in U.S. News and World Report hospital rankings for second year in a row

For the second consecutive year, Baptist Health Lexington is recognized as Kentucky's best hospital by U.S. News & World Report. It was also recognized as a nationally ranked hospital for adult ear, nose and throat care.

St. Elizabeth Edgewood in Northern Kentucky was ranked second in the state. It was ranked No. 5 in the Cincinnati metro area and high-performing in three adult specialties: diabetes and endocrinology, geriatrics, pulmonology and four adult procedures and conditions: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart bypass surgery, hip replacement and knee replacement.

Norton Hospital in Louisville and Baptist Health Louisville tied for third in the state, followed by the University of Kentucky's Chandler Hospital. Kosair Children's Hospital in Louisville was ranked as the best children's hospital in Kentucky.

U.S. News' Best Hospitals rankings, now in their 26th year, ranks hospitals both nationally and regionally on how well they treat the most challenging patients. Nearly 5,000 hospitals were analyzed for this year’s rankings. Kentucky has 129 hospitals.

In addition to being ranked first in Kentucky, Baptist Health Lexington ranked 39th nationally for ear, nose and throat care for adults and was rated high-performing for four adult procedures and conditions: COPD, heart bypass surgery, heart failure and knee replacement. High performing hospitals are in the top 10 percent of centers analyzed for the rankings.

“These national rankings underscore what our patients have experienced for years – the very best of care,” Baptist Health CEO Steve Hanson said in a press release. “Our physicians and staff are constantly working on quality and safety initiatives, not just to keep our scores high, but because it’s the right thing to do for the people we serve. It is gratifying to see that commitment recognized.”

Norton Hospital was rated high-performing in five adult specialties: gastroenterology and GI surgery, nephrology, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopedics and pulmonology and one adult procedure and conditions: heart bypass surgery.

Baptist Health Louisville was rated high-performing in three adult specialties: gastroenterology and GI surgery, geriatrics and pulmonology; and three adult procedures or conditions: heart bypass surgery, heart failure, and knee replacement.

The UK hospital was rated high-performing in five adult specialties: cancer, geriatrics, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopaedics, and pulmonology. It did not have any high-performance ranking in adult procedures and conditions, and ranked below average in this category for heart failure.

The report points out that these rankings are just one tool of many to use when deciding which hospital to consider, "Individual diagnosis and personal priorities will dictate the best choice," for patients and their physicians, it says.

Click here to see the full report: http://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals/area/ky