Methodist ties for fourth in state in best hospital ranking

 

Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge tied for fourth in the state in an annual ranking of America’s best hospitals compiled by U.S. News and World Report.

MMC tied for fourth with Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center in Knoxville. Covenant Health’s third major medical center, Parkwest Medical Center in Knoxville, ranked ninth in Tennessee.

All three were in the Top 10 for metro areas, a press release said. All three were lauded for high performance in a variety of specialties such as gastroenterology and GI surgery, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopedics, and pulmonology, among others. All three hospitals also achieved patient satisfaction levels that are higher than national and state averages.


Among the criteria considered in the U.S. News and World Report rankings are patient safety, outcomes, staffing, and rates of survival. The hospitals also were required to meet any of four possible criteria: medical school affiliation, teaching hospital status, 200 or more beds, 100 or more beds, and availability of four or more medical technologies considered important to high quality care.

This marks the 25th year for the U.S. News and World Report “Best Hospitals” rankings, the press release said.

“We are tremendously honored to be recognized by such a highly respected organization as U.S. News and World Report,” said Mike Belbeck, president and chief administrative officer with Methodist Medical Center. “To be included among the top five hospitals in the entire state is a huge distinction and is just another validation for our physicians and staff who deliver excellence every day and for those who entrust their care with us.”

Tony Spezia, Covenant Health president and chief executive officer, congratulated the hospitals and added that, “Although there are many hospital rankings and lists available, the fact that four of the Top 10 Tennessee hospitals in the U.S. News and World Report ranking are in the greater Knoxville area demonstrates the outstanding quality of care that’s available in our region.” (UT Medical Center also was named among the Top 10.)

For the full list and more on the rankings process, visit http://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals/rankings.