News Release

UC Davis Medical Center ranks

Grant and Award Announcement

University of California - Davis Health

UC Davis Medical Center ranks among the top 50 hospitals in America in six medical specialties, according to an annual survey published in the July 22 issue of U.S. News & World Report. The issue hits newsstands Monday, July 15.

Out of more than 6,000 hospitals nationwide, UC Davis Medical Center was ranked 26th for ear, nose and throat; 29th for hormonal disorders; 32nd for orthopaedics; 40th for neurology and neurosurgery; 45th for heart and heart surgery; and 49th for urology.

"These hospitals excel partly because their doctors perform large numbers of tricky and risky procedures," said Richard Folkers, a spokesperson for the magazine. "Ranked hospitals tend to adhere more closely to advanced treatment guidelines, to incorporate new findings into patient care, and to conduct research that gives desperately ill patients more options."

U.S. News & World Report arrived at the rankings based on numbers of procedures performed, patient death rates, nurse-to-patient ratios, availability of important medical technologies and other factors.

In each of the six specialties for which it earned a top ranking, UC Davis Medical Center received the highest possible score for availability of medical technology. Its ratio of registered nurses to patients (2.89) was also among the highest found in any of the top-rated hospitals.

UC Davis Medical Center's high nurse-to-patient ratio reflects its status as one of only 54 hospitals nationwide to receive Magnet Nursing Services Recognition by the American Nurses Credentialing Center for excellence in patient care and nursing practices.

This is the 13th year U.S. News & World Report has published its "America's Best Hospitals" ranking. Each year it evaluates top medical centers in 17 medical specialties from pediatrics to geriatrics.

UC Davis Medical Center has consistently been ranked among the best hospitals in the magazine's survey, for every year it has been evaluated. In past years, UC Davis Medical Center has also ranked in the top 50 for cancer, digestive disorders, geriatrics, kidney disease, respiratory disorders and rheumatology.

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