U.S. News and World Reports has taken its national rankings system to the state level, naming Tampa General Florida's best hospital.
Tying for #2 were Florida Hospital in Orlando and Shands Hospital in Gainesville.
The magazine's "best hospitals" list this year is different from in the past, when it was based almost wholly on reputation. Now reputation accounts for only 32.5 percent of the score; more objective measures of
patient safety and outcomes, based on federal data, now account for the majority of the score, as HealthLeaders Media reports.
The top 10 hospitals in the state were chosen in part by the number of specialties in which they scored in the nation's top 50. Tampa General was recognized in nine specialties, according to the magazine.
"It’s an honor to rank among the nation’s elite hospitals," said TGH's president and CEO Ron Hytoff.
Out of 262 facilities in Florida, 30 hospitals made the “Best Hospitals in Florida” list, a “GPS-type aid to help steer patients” to the best faciltiies, according to U.S. News.
Those hospitals are in nearly every Florida metro area, aside from the Panhandle.
“All of these hospitals are the kinds of medical centers that should be on your list when you need the best care,” said Avery Comarow, editor of the U.S. News Health Rankings.
Here are the magazine's winners by metro area:
--Jacksonville: Baptist Medical Center. In winning the top spot, Baptist beat out two higher-profile contenders, UF-affiliated Shands Jacksonville and the Mayo Clinic-Florida.
--Miami/Fort Lauderdale: South Miami Hospital was listed first, followed by Jackson Memorial and Cleveland Clinic.
--Orlando: Florida Hospital topped Orlando Regional.
--Tampa/St. Petersburg: Tampa General was first, Moffitt Cancer Center second.
--Health News Florida is an independent online publication dedicated to journalism in the public interest. Contact Editor Carol Gentry at 727-410-3266 orby e-mail.
