Duke Medical Center cracks magazine’s national ‘honor roll’

Durham, N.C. — Duke University Medical Center ranks eighth in the latest ranking of “America’s Best Hospitals” across the United States as compiled by U.S. News & World Report magazine.

Duke was one of 19 hospitals to make the list’s “honor roll” of top performers. However, Duke’s standing did drop one spot from seventh, which it had received in the 2007 and 2006 rankings.

Utilizing data gathered by RTI International, which is based in Research Triangle Park, U.S. News ranked Duke 21st or higher in 15 of 16 adult care categories and 28th or higher in five pediatric care specialties.

University of North Carolina Hospitals did not make the honor roll but was ranked 42nd or better in five adult specialties and in one pediatric specialty.

The annual list includes information gathered from more than 5,000 healthcare facilities across the country.

Duke ranked highest in gynecology (fourth) followed by geriatric care (fifth), urology (sixtth), orthopedics (seventh), ophthalmology (eighth), heart and heart surgery (eighth), respiratory disorders (ninth), cancer (11th), kidney disease (12th), gastrointestinal disorders (15th), ear, nose and throat (20th), neurology and neurosurgery (20th) and endocrinology (21st).

In pediatrics, Duke ranked 14th in cancer, 19th in neonatal, 23rd in heart and heart surgery, 27th in general care and 28th in respiratory disorders.

UNC received its top marks in kidney disease (25th) followed by gynecology (33rd), gastrointestinal disorders (35th), cancer (38th), and ear, nose and throat (42nd).

UNC ranked seventh in pediatrics for respiratory disorder care.

Johns Hopkins Hospital was ranked first overall followed by the Mayo Clinic.