The Johns Hopkins Hospital Is #3 in the Nation and #1 in Maryland

To the Johns Hopkins Medicine community

Dear Colleagues:

The annual U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals rankings are in. We ranked number three nationally out of 4,743 hospitals in the United States and number one in Maryland. We would like to express our heartfelt appreciation for another remarkable year at The Johns Hopkins Hospital.

Our top-tier ranking is an extraordinary achievement, particularly in a highly complex health care environment that continuously changes. We earned the number one ranking for 22 years—an unprecedented 21 years in a row from 1991 to 2011, and again in 2013. We owe that distinction to you, the people of Johns Hopkins Medicine, and we hope you all share our incredible pride in the innovation, compassion and quality that goes into the way we care for our patients.

Of the 16 specialties ranked by U.S. News, 15 of ours were nationally ranked—10 of them in the top five. We would especially like to recognize Rheumatology for earning a number one spot.

Join us in congratulating these departments for their specialty rankings:

• Rheumatology - #1
• Ear, Nose & Throat - #2
• Neurology & Neurosurgery - #3
• Ophthalmology - #3
• Psychiatry - #3
• Urology - #3
• Diabetes & Endocrinology - #4
• Gastroenterology & GI Surgery - #4
• Geriatrics - #4
• Cancer - #5
• Nephrology - #6
• Pulmonology - #11
• Gynecology - #12
• Orthopedics - #12
• Cardiology & Heart Surgery - #16 (tie)

On a local level, The Johns Hopkins Hospital ranked first in all specialties in Maryland and number one in all specialties in Baltimore. Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Sibley Memorial Hospital and Suburban Hospital were also recognized as achieving high performance in their respective regions in a number of specialties.

We extend sincere congratulations to our colleagues at Mayo Clinic for their number one ranking. We are honored to be in the top tier with so many exceptional medical centers.

U.S. News & World Report rankings are based largely on three measurement categories including reputation, outcome and structural elements. Reputation is determined by results of a mailed and online survey to select physician specialists. This year, the magazine's methodology changed in several areas and the weight allocated to the reputation component was decreased. We are still trying to understand how these changes impacted us.  For a complete list of all rankings and details about the methodology, please visit hopkinsmedicine.org/usnews or see the special edition of Dome on Thursday.

As U.S. News' methodology for ranking hospitals becomes more complex, our goal remains the same—to provide exceptional patient- and family-centered care. As you speak with our patients, their families and visitors, let them know that nothing has changed at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. We are still the same exemplary institution with some of the most gifted minds and compassionate and highly-skilled caregivers imaginable.

We will stay focused on our mission to improve the health of the community and the world, setting the standard of excellence in medical education, research and clinical care. To our employees, nurses, physicians and other staff members who treat, comfort and create hope for our patients; and to the scientists for their breakthrough research and cures for diseases, this recognition is a tribute to your commitment to the promise of medicine. Thank you for all you do.

Sincerely,

Paul B. Rothman, M.D.
Dean of the Medical Faculty
CEO, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Ronald R. Peterson
President
The Johns Hopkins Hospital and Health System
EVP, Johns Hopkins Medicine