PALO ALTO, Calif-- Once again, Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford has been ranked one of the nation’s best.
 
In its annual America’s Best Children’s Hospitals issue hitting newsstands June 2, the magazine places Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital among the nation’s best and tops in the Bay Area. Additionally, the hospital’s neonatology, heart and heart surgery specialties each ranked #5 in the U.S., with cancer ranking #10. Programs in digestive disorders, respiratory disorders, general pediatrics, neurology and neurosurgery were also noted for excellence with Top 20 rankings.
 
Christopher Dawes, president and chief executive officer at Packard Children’s, was proud of this recognition. “Making the U.S.News list is always an honor. It reflects what our faculty and staff have built and continue to build − a nationally and internationally pre-eminent children’s hospital. The children’s hospitals of America provide superb care, and we’re thrilled to be one of the best of the best.”
 
The specialty rankings of this year’s America’s Best Children’s Hospitals were based on a new methodology that weighed a three-part blend of reputation, outcome, and care-related measures such as nursing, advanced technology, credentialing and other factors. A detailed description of the methodology can be found online at www.usnews.com/pediatrics.
 
The U.S.News honor adds to a growing list of recent highlights at the hospital, including the 2008 launch of a new Web site that allows visitors to access a variety of data about the hospital’s performance. This move toward greater data transparency is another milestone in the hospital’s ongoing campaign to improve and communicate patient safety and quality of care.
 
The success of Packard Children’s has also led to a major expansion of services. Recently, the hospital opened the first phase of its new Bass Center for Pediatric Cancer and Blood Diseases and a new South Bay Specialty Center in Los Gatos. Coming up later in 2008 will be the opening of a new 16,000 sq. ft. surgical center with seven operating suites and a new 20-bed cardiovascular intensive care unit.
 
“We’re growing and building and taking on some of the most challenging cases from around the corner and around the world,” said Dawes. “The U.S.News ranking reflects this, and it’s wonderful to be recognized in this way.”