UK is again the top Ky. hospital in U.S. News rankings, followed by St. Elizabeth in Northern Ky. and Baptist Health Louisville

By Melissa Patrick

Kentucky Health News

 

Three Kentucky hospitals, in the state's three largest metripolitan areas, have been named among the nation's "Best Regional Hospitals" in the annual ranking by the U.S. News & World Report magazine. 

The No. 1 hospital in Kentucky is again the University of Kentucky hospital, followed by St. Elizabeth Healthcare in Edgewood and Covington and Baptist Health Louisville.

To make the list, a hospital must offer a full range of services; rank nationally in one of 11 measured specialties, or have seven or more high-performing rankings for procedures and conditions; and have at least three more "high performing" than "below average" rankings for procedures and conditions. 

The report offers an overview of 121 Kentucky hospitals with a breakdown of each of the measured categories, according to the services a hospital provides. 

UK HealthCare, for the ninth straight year, ranks No. 1 in the state with its Albert B. Chandler Hospital.

In cancer care, UK's Markey Cancer Center moved up to No. 36 from No. 44 last year. Markey is Kentucky's only National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center, and one of 72 in the nation. 

“Together, these recognitions firmly establish Markey among the nation's top cancer centers, affirming that patients can access world-class cancer care right here in Kentucky,” Dr. Mark Evers, director of the cancer center, said in a news release. 

UK's hospital system also ranked nationally in two other adult specialties: ear, nose and throat and obstetrics and gynecology; and three children specialties: pediatric cardiology and heart surgery, orthopedics and urology.

Six UK HealthCare adult specialties – four more than the previous year’s rankings – also received the “high performing” designation: gastroenterology and gastrointestinal surgery, geriatrics, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopedics, pulmonology and lung surgery and urology. 

The system also was rated "high performing" for 14 procedures and conditions, including heart attack, heart-bypass surgery, heart failure, colon-cancer surgery, kidney failure, back surgery (spinal fusion), stroke, gynecological-cancer surgery, leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma, hip replacement, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung-cancer surgery, pneumonia and prostate-cancer surgery. 

Chandler Hospital was also named Best Regional Hospital for Equitable Access, a new category that recognizes success in caring for patients in historically underserved communities. UK HealthCare was one of 98 medical centers nationwide and the only hospital in Kentucky to receive this recognition.

“We diligently examine our data and metrics to help us identify and quantify disparities that are unique to our underserved populations. That allows us to execute targeted strategies and solutions to address these issues. We are truly the university – and the hospital – for Kentucky," Tukea Talbert, who oversees health equity efforts at UK HealthCare, said in the release.

St Elizabeth's Edgewood and Covington hospitals ranked high performing in 15 procedures and conditions: leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma, colon-cancer surgery, lung-cancer surgery, prostate cancer surgery, abdominal aortic-aneurysm repair, heart attack, heart-bypass surgery, heart failure, kidney failure, stroke, maternity care (uncomplicated pregnancy), hip replacement, knee replacement, COPD and pneumonia.

This is the 11th time that Baptist Health Louisville has ranked No. 1 or tied for that ranking in Jefferson County. The hospital ranked high-performing in nine procedures and conditions: leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma, colon-cancer surgery, abdominal aortic-aneurysm repair, heart attack, aortic-valve surgery, heart-bypass surgery, hip replacement, knee replacement and COPD. The hospital ranked below average for diabetes. 

“We’re incredibly excited to be recognized by U.S. News and World Report for being number one in metro Louisville. It’s a recognition that comes as a culmination of a lot of work from the entire team at Baptist Health Louisville who strive every single day to ensure that the care that we provide is the highest quality and the safest it possibly can be,” Dr. Jonathan Velez, president of Baptist Health Louisville, said in a news release. 

The 35th annual rankings compared hospitals in 15 specialties and 20 common procedures and conditions. Data from the report came from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the American Hospital Association and professional organizations. This year, the report also includes Medicare Advantage data in the rankings, including risk-adjusted mortality rates for its beneficiaries in 11 adult specialties.

Nationally, the report named the top 22 hospitals to the national "Honor Roll." The top hospitals were not ranked again this year, but were instead listed in alphabetical order. Regionally, 466 hospitals were recognized as "Best Regional Hospitals." Click here for a FAQ about how and why U.S. News ranks hospitals.