Texas Children's Hospital ranks 4th among nation's best pediatric institutions by US News World Report

HOUSTON - (June 11, 2013) - Texas Children's Hospital has again been named as a national leader among pediatric institutions by U.S.News World Report in their Best Children's Hospitals 2013-14 survey. Ranked 4th among all children's hospitals nationally and one of only 10 hospitals to achieve the Honor Roll designation, Texas Children's is the only hospital in Texas - and the entire Southern region of the U.S. - awarded this distinction. For more information, visit www.texaschildrens.org/usnews

"We are excited to once again be honored as one of America's best children's hospitals," said Mark A. Wallace, president and CEO of Texas Children's Hospital. "Achieving honor roll status again and maintaining our high overall hospital ranking is a testament to the amazing patient care our physicians and staff provide everyday."

In addition to ranking children's hospitals overall, U.S. News also ranks the top 50 pediatric hospitals in each of 10 major subspecialty areas including cancer; cardiology and heart surgery; diabetes and endocrinology; gastroenterology and GI surgery; neonatology; nephrology (kidney); neurology and neurosurgery; orthopedics; pulmonology; and urology. This year, Texas Children's was ranked in the top 20 for every category. High rankings in a minimum of three specialties also qualified Texas Children's for the 2013-14 Best Children's Hospitals Honor Roll, a distinction awarded to only 10 children's centers nationwide.

"I am thrilled that Texas Children's not only ranked in the top 20 for every subspecialty category, but we have six subspecialties ranked among the top 10 nationally," said Dr. Mark Kline, physician-in-chief of Texas Children's Hospital and chair of the Department of Pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine (BCM).

The rankings are a result of a methodology that weighed a combination of outcome and care-related measures such as nursing care, advanced technology and credentialing and reputation among other factors.

"Providing all patients, regardless of their disease or illness, with advanced surgical treatment options and interventions is an essential component to delivering the highest quality care and allows us to deliver the best possible outcomes," said Dr. Charles D. Fraser Jr., surgeon-in-chief of Texas Children's Hospital and professor of congenital heart surgery at BCM.

The 2013-14 edition of Best Children's Hospitals is available online at www.usnews.com/childrenshospitals and will be published in the U.S. News Best Hospitals 2014 guidebook, available beginning in August.

About Texas Children’s Hospital

Texas Children’s Hospital, a not-for-profit health care organization, is committed to creating a healthier future for children and women throughout the global community by leading in patient care, education and research. Consistently ranked as the best children’s hospital in Texas, and among the top in the nation, Texas Children’s has garnered widespread recognition for its expertise and breakthroughs in pediatric and women’s health. The hospital includes the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute; the Feigin Tower for pediatric research; Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women, a comprehensive obstetrics/gynecology facility focusing on high-risk births; Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus, a community hospital in suburban West Houston; and Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands, the first hospital devoted to children’s care for communities north of Houston. The organization also created Texas Children’s Health Plan, the nation’s first HMO for children; has the largest pediatric primary care network in the country, Texas Children’s Pediatrics; Texas Children’s Urgent Care clinics that specialize in after-hours care tailored specifically for children; and a global health program that’s channeling care to children and women all over the world. Texas Children’s Hospital is affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine. For more information, go to www.texaschildrens.org. Get the latest news by visiting the online newsroom and Twitter at twitter.com/texaschildrens.