University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics again named Iowa’s top hospital

IOWA CITY - The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics again has been named the state's best hospital, according to U.S. News and World Report's new rankings.

The best hospitals of 2015-2016 list, which was made public Tuesday, also rates UIHC among the nation's best in seven adult specialties. That's fewer than last year, when the hospital ranked in the top 50 in nine adult specialties.

And although UIHC improved its rankings for ophthalmology, which moved from No. 8 to 7, its ears, nose, and throat department, which rose from No. 9 to 8, and orthopedics, which climbed to No. 17 from 18, the hospital lost ground in some areas.

Its gynecology ranking dropped from No. 15 to 29, its cancer ranking fell from No. 27 to 39, urology slipped to No. 40 from 33, and its nephrology and cardiology and heart surgery departments dropped out of the top 50 - earning instead 'high performing” recognition, along with three other specialties.

Only the UIHC neurology and neurosurgery ranking held steady at No. 33.

Theresa Brennan, UIHC chief medical officer, said earning a spot in the top 50 in any specialty puts the university in an elite group. And, she said, after the top 50, it's unknown where a specialty ranks - meaning those that fell out of the rankings could be No. 51.

'Small things can make these differences,” Brennan said. 'We still are very proud of those programs that continue to be high performing.”

Jean Robillard, vice president for medical affairs with UI Health Care, said in a news release, 'Iowans can be very proud of these rankings, which demonstrate yet again our faculty and staff are among the very best, not only in the nation, but also the world.”

U.S. News, for its most recent list, started with a pool of nearly 5,000 hospitals - surveying more than 140,000 physicians about 16 specialties. The ratings rely on objective data, including death rates and patient safety, and on an annual reputational survey that asks physicians to identify hospitals they consider the best in their specialty.

Only 137 hospitals were nationally ranked in at least one specialty. U.S. News also names the 15 top scoring hospitals to an honor roll. This year's list was topped by Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, and UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles.

The University of Iowa's Children's Hospital also is nationally ranked in nine specialties, meaning the center is ranked in a total of 16.

Coming in behind UIHC within the State of Iowa was Alegent Creighton Mercy Hospital in Council Bluffs and Genesis Medical Center, which tied for No. 2, according to the U.S. News rankings. Iowa Lutheran Hospital in Des Moines and UnityPoint Health-St. Luke's Hospital in Cedar Rapids tied for No. 4.