Suburban hospitals fare well in U.S. News annual rankings
U.S. News gives kudos to suburban hospitals for their performance in 16 specialized areas, in their annual rankings published online Tuesday.
The publication puts these suburban hospitals in the top 25 percent nationally in the specialties for which they were listed.
Forty-four of 121 Chicago area hospitals were ranked as "high performing" in one or more specialties.
U.S. News & World Report presents its rankings every year. This year they are based on data from 2007-2009.
In most specialties the rankings rely on hard data for Medicare patients such as death rates and number of patients. Surveys of specialist physicians are important, and ratio of nurses to patients is also taken into consideration.
In four specialties, ophthalmology, psychiatry, rehabilitation and rheumatology, the ranking is solely by reputation among specialists.
The U.S. News website assures readers that in most situations people can get great care by going to a good hospital, and only the most difficult cases would need the expertise at the best centers in the country.
Here are the suburban hospitals that made this year's list, how they rank in the Chicago area, and the specialties labeled "high performing" by the publication.
•Alexian Brothers Medical Center, Elk Grove Village. Ranked seventh in the Chicago area based on the following specialties: Cancer; diabetes and endocrinology; ear, nose and throat; gastroenterology; geriatrics; gynecology; heart and heart surgery; kidney disorders; neurology and neurosurgery; orthopedics; pulmonology; and urology.
•St. Alexius Medical Center, Hoffman Estates. Tied for ninth in the Chicago area, for: Cancer; diabetes and endocrinology; ear, nose and throat; gastroenterology; geriatrics; gynecology; kidney disorders; neurology and neurosurgery; orthopedics; and pulmonology.
•Advocate Good Samaritan, Downers Grove. Tied for 11th, for: Cancer; diabetes and endocrinology; ear, nose and throat; gastroenterology; geriatrics; gynecology; kidney disorders; pulmonology; and urology.
•Central DuPage Hospital, Winfield, tied for 11th: Ear, nose and throat; gastroenterology; geriatrics; gynecology; heart and heart surgery; neurology and neurosurgery; orthopedics; pulmonology; and urology.
•Provena St. Joseph, Joliet, tied for 11th: Cancer; gastroenterology; geriatrics; gynecology; kidney disorders; neurology and neurosurgery; orthopedics; pulmonology; urology.
•Northwest Community, Arlington Heights, ranked 16th: Ear, nose and throat; gastroenterology; gynecology; kidney disorder; orthopedics; urology.
•Advocate Lutheran General, Park Ridge, tied for 17th: Cancer; ear, nose and throat; gastroenterology; gynecology; urology.
•Provena St. Joseph, Elgin, tied for 17th: Diabetes and endocrinology; gastroenterology; geriatrics; neurology and neurosurgery; and orthopedics.
•Adventist Hinsdale, tied for 23rd: Ear, nose and throat; gynecology; and orthopedics.
•Edward Hospital, Naperville, tied for 23rd: Gastroenterology; orthopedics; and urology.
•Sherman Hospital, Elgin, tied for 23rd: Diabetes and endocrinology; geriatrics; and kidney disorder.
•Advocate Condell, Libertyville, tied for 30th: Kidney disorder; and urology.
•Rush-Copley, Aurora, tied for 30th: Gynecology; and orthopedics.
•Advocate Good Shepherd, Barrington, tied for 35th: Heart and heart surgery.
•Delnor Community, Geneva, tied for 35th: Gynecology.
Five major Chicago area hospitals were ranked best in the country: Northwestern Memorial with national rankings in 13 specialties; University of Chicago in 12 areas; Rush University in 10 areas; Loyola University in four; University of Illinois and Rehabilitation Institute each in one.
Children's hospitals are ranked separately. Children's Memorial and University of Chicago are at the top of the ratings and Advocate Hope in Oak Lawn and Rush Children's also ranked.
The complete list of best hospitals in the Chicago area is at health.usnews.com/best-hospitals/area/chicago-il/specialty