Top Hospitals in Illinois According to U.S. News & World Report Rankings
Northwestern Memorial Hospital and Rush University Medical Center have once again solidified their positions as top hospitals in the nation, tying for the best hospital in Illinois according to the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings.
These two prestigious hospitals were the only Illinois hospitals to make it into the top 20 in the country, with University of Chicago Medical Center and Advocate Christ Medical Center following closely behind as the third and fourth best hospitals in the state, respectively.
Dr. Paul Casey, senior vice president and chief medical officer for Rush University System for Health, expressed pride and honor in the recognition, attributing it to the dedication and skill of the Rush team in providing exceptional care to patients every day.
While U.S. News rankings are highly regarded in the healthcare industry, they have faced criticism in recent years for their methodology. Despite this, hospital leaders like Dr. Tom Spiegel from University of Chicago Medicine still see value in the ratings as a tool for identifying areas of improvement.
The rankings are based on federal data including death rates, preventable complications, and nursing care levels, with recent adjustments to include more outpatient data and data from Medicare Advantage patients. In addition to overall hospital rankings, U.S. News also rates hospitals across various specialties, procedures, and conditions.
Northwestern Memorial Hospital and Rush University Medical Center both excelled in several specialties, with Northwestern ranking among the top 10 hospitals in the country for cardiology, heart and vascular surgery, diabetes and endocrinology, gastroenterology and GI surgery, and obstetrics and gynecology. Rush ranked in the top 10 for neurology and neurosurgery, orthopedics, and geriatrics.
Other hospitals in Illinois that made it into the top 10 in the U.S. News rankings this year include Endeavor Health, Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital, Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital, Loyola University Medical Center, and Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital.
While U.S. News is just one of many organizations that rank hospitals, patients are encouraged to consider a variety of factors when choosing where to receive care, including health insurance coverage, specific medical needs, and physician practices. The rankings serve as a starting point for patients to make informed decisions about their healthcare.
