HERSHEY, Pa. — Penn State Children’s Hospital ranks among the nation’s best hospitals for children in multiple specialties for the 10th consecutive year, according to U.S. News & World Report.
The Children’s Hospital ranked in cardiology and heart surgery (No. 16), cancer (No. 38), pulmonology (No. 38) neonatology (No. 40), and nephrology (No. 48) in the magazine’s 2020-21 Best Children’s Hospital Rankings.
Kourtney Cannon, whose daughter Rhylee was born with a heart defect in 2019, was not surprised by this recognition. Cannon credits the Children’s Hospital with saving Rhylee’s life.
“After corrective heart surgery on our five-day-old newborn, my husband and I were overjoyed to hear our baby’s heart beat normally for the first time,” Cannon said. “We are forever grateful to the Children’s Hospital and Rhylee’s surgeon, Dr. Brian Clark, for giving our daughter the gift of living a full and healthy life.”
The rankings highlight the top 50 hospitals in each of ten pediatric specialties: cancer, cardiology and heart surgery, diabetes and endocrinology, gastroenterology and gastrointestinal surgery, neonatology, nephrology, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopedics, pulmonology and urology. The rankings are based on clinical data including patient safety, infection prevention and nurse staffing, as well as responses from more than 11,000 pediatric specialists about where they would send the sickest children in their specialty.
“Our dedicated providers and staff are committed to our patients and families and ensuring they receive thoughtful, high-quality care,” said Dr. Sarah Iriana, interim chair of pediatrics at Penn State Children’s Hospital. “We look forward to continuing that commitment in a larger facility this fall with the opening of the Children’s Hospital expansion.”
The expanded Children’s Hospital will have more pediatric beds for enhanced access to nationally-ranked care in the central Pennsylvania region. It will feature state-of-the-art technology, a new Women and Babies Center, a 56-bed, Level IV neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and the state’s only Small Baby Unit, created specifically for growth and improved brain development.
“This recognition is a public acknowledgement of what we believe our patients and families already know, that Penn State Children’s Hospital has exceptionally talented physicians and staff who deliver compassionate world class healthcare,” said Deborah Berini, president of Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.
Established in 2007, the U.S. News & World Report Best Children’s hospital rankings aim to help families with life-threatening and rare illnesses find the best care available. This year’s rankings will be published in the “Best Hospitals 2021” guidebook, set for release in September.