U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals 2025

YOUR GUIDE TO TOP CARE

FOR WEIGHT LOSS, HEART HEALTH AND MORE 30 BEST DIET PLANS

WHAT YOUNGER PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW CANCER’S NEW TARGET

A MIND-BODY THERAPY THAT CHANGES LIVES MEDS-FREE PAIN RELIEF

Rankings 2025 EDITION

Gastroenterology

Behavioral

On Medicine’s Front Lines

12 Gun Violence: A Public Health Crisis

A look at the Surgeon General’s firearm violence health advisory.

38 We Need More Diversity in the Doctor’s Office

Connecting patients with providers who look like them will lead to better health outcomes for all.

40 Preparing for the Changing Face of Cancer With cancer in younger people on

the rise, the need for cutting-edge treatments is vital.

46 To Tackle Youth Mental Health, Empower Young Adults Today’s youth are driving change around mental wellness.

72 Pain and the Power of the Mind

Mind-body therapies help you reframe awareness of pain, so you can learn to use your mind to control the discomfort.

78 Surgery Planned? Read This First. 12 steps to take before you walk into the operating room.

84 Homeward Bound

Before you’re discharged from the hospital, take the time to set yourself up for a healthier future.

88 Best Diets of 2024

Your goal: to find the plan that will work for you.

91 Eat Your Way to Better Gut Health

What you put on your plate can help – or hurt – the well-being of your gut. .

the Mid-Atlantic Region.*

PROVENQUALITY PROGRAMS AMERICANCOLLEGE of CARDIOLOGY

The American College of Cardiology (ACC) recognizes these Health Systems for their commitment to drive preeminent hospital care for heart patients. Participating in the ACC’s proven quality care delivery and outcomes programs demonstrates their commitment to better lives for healthier tomorrows.

Tenet Health System

Orlando Health

Baptist Health Systems Inc. KY

Allina Health

Ballad Health System

Baptist Memorial Health Care Corporation

BJC HealthCare

University of California Health System

SSM Health

Banner Health

CHRISTUS Health System

Legacy Health

Memorial Health System of California

MultiCare Health System

Northern Nevada Health System

Yale New Haven Health

Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research

PorterCare Adventist Health System

ProMedica Health System

ScionHealth

St. Luke’s University Health Network

Wellstar Health System

95

Working out can impact mental wellbeing in wonderful ways.

Children’s Health

144 Kids’ Food Allergies: A Racial Divide

Racial disparities in food allergies are multiple and complex, and the

consequences can be devastating for children and their parents.

150 The Friendship Struggle

Parents can use these tips to help their children make (and keep) friends.

152 The Great Multivitamin Debate

The U.S. News Rankings

Do kids need multivitamins and supplements — or should their nutritional goals be met through the food on their plates?

Hospitals

Getting Great Care

Read about how U.S. News identified and ranked top hospitals in each state.

The Rankings

See how nearby hospitals performed in areas of specialty care and in common procedures and conditions. 196 Celebrating Inclusive Care

A new recognition of hospitals that care for underserved populations.

198 Best Regional Children’s Hospitals A region-by-region ranking based on performance in 11 specialties.

Here’s What’s @usnews.com

NUTRITION AND LIFESTYLE

Best Diets

A look at some of the most popular and most researched diets, with reviews by a panel of health experts. Discover the top diets for weight loss, diabetes management and heart health, as well as the best plant-based and commercial diets. health.usnews.com/best-diet

Wellness and Trends

Stay on top of the latest health news and research, and get expert insight into trending wellness topics. health.usnews.com/wellness

INSURANCE

Best Medicare Advantage Plans

State-by-state ratings of insurers offering Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D plans, plus tips on choosing one of these plans vs. original Medicare. health.usnews.com/medicare

POPULATION HEALTH

Healthiest Communities

An interactive platform featuring news, analysis and county-level rankings that examine how social factors shape America’s health and well-being. usnews.com/news/healthiestcommunities

OUTPATIENT CARE

Best Ambulatory Surgery Centers

New for 2024, discover the top outpatient surgery centers near you. health.usnews.com/best-ascs

Specialties, Procedures and Conditions

We’ve evaluated nearly 5,000 hospitals on 20 common procedures and conditions, including hip replacement, knee replacement, heart bypass surgery, colon cancer surgery, diabetes and stroke, as well as 15 medical specialties from cancer care to cardiology. health.usnews.com/best-hospitals

SENIOR CARE

Best Nursing Homes

An analysis of government data and published ratings of more than 15,000 nursing home facilities throughout the United States. health.usnews.com/ best-nursing-homes

Top Recommended Health Products

Which over-the-counter products do pharmacists and dermatologists prefer? To make your next trip to the drugstore easier, check out these top recommended medicine and health products, ranging from skin care to supplements. health.usnews.com/otc

PHYSICIAN SEARCH TOOL

Doctor Finder

A searchable directory of more than 750,000+ doctors. Patients can find and research doctors who have the training, certification, practical experience and hospital affiliation they want – and can see ratings based on other patients’ experience. health.usnews.com/doctors

Our Strength. Your Health.

Your first choice for more than 60 years to help you live your best life.

We have deep roots in our community. Our commitment to excellence has earned us national recognition, including being named a “Best Hospital 2024-2025 by U.S. News & World Report”.

For more than 60 years, you have made El Camino Health your first choice to help you live your best life. Of all the recognitions on our trophy wall — and there are many — the trust you have in us is the honor we cherish most.

El Camino Health. Our strength is your health.

•

On Medicine’s Front Lines

On Medicine’s Front Lines

The health news and updates you need to know about

The health news and updates you need to know about

Gun Violence: A Public

A bold new public health advisory marks the first the U.S. Surgeon General has issued related to firearm violence, which has been a highly contentious political issue for decades.

by Steven Ross Johnson  ©

IN JUNE OF 2024, the nation’s top doctor, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, issued a health advisory declaring gun violence a public health crisis. This announcement came as a wave of mass shootings throughout the U.S. escalated concerns over the fast-growing death and injury tolls attributable to guns.

The rate of death from firearms has increased over the years, with more than half the result of suicide in 2022 and 41% from homicide, according to the CDC. As of the time of publication, the U.S. has seen more than 12,145 firearm-related deaths and more than 23,256 injuries in 2024, shows data collected by the Gun Violence Archive.

More than 1,000 of those deaths were children. This level of gun-related homicides puts the U.S. ahead of any other high-income country with populations more than 10 million, according to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation.

“Firearm violence is an urgent public health crisis that has led to loss of life, unimaginable pain and profound grief for far too many Americans,” Murthy said in a statement. “We don’t have to continue down this path, and we don’t have to subject our children to the ongoing horror of firearm violence in America. All Americans deserve to live their lives free from firearm violence, as well as from the fear and devastation that it brings. It will take the collective commitment of our nation to turn the tide on firearm violence.”

The advisory came less than a week after the Supreme Court struck down a ban on bump stock devices used to increase the firing rate on semi-automatic rifles. Many Democrats applauded the move and called for the

GUN VIOLENCE ACTIVISTS ATTEND A VIGIL ON THE 11TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SANDY HOOK SCHOOL SHOOTING

Health Crisis

U.S. SURGEON GENERAL VIVEK MURTHY, SHOWN HERE AT A 2023 EVENT IN NEW YORK CITY

GOP to come to the table to hammer out some bipartisan legislative solutions. Republicans were less complimentary. Rep. Dan Bishop of North Carolina was among the first to lash out at the Surgeon General’s advisory, framing it on social media as an attack against the Second Amendment. “Murthy aims to do an end-run around the Constitution to implement gun control,” he said. “Absolutely not.”

Meanwhile Dr. Joseph Sakran, chief medical officer for the gun safety advocacy organization Brady, said the public health crisis Americans face with gun violence calls for de-politicizing the issue over gun rights to allow for an evidence-based, public health approach. “This is not a Democratic issue, it’s not a Republican issue, it’s an American issue,” Sakran said. “We have to approach the problem in a way that allows us to take evidence-based solutions to implement programs and policies that allow us to make people safer.”

A Look at the Stats Firearm violence disproportionately affects certain

communities. Despite making up only 14% of the total youth population, Black youth account for approximately half of all firearm-related youth deaths, according to figures from health policy research organization KFF. By contrast, white adults age 45 years and older have the highest rate of suicide from firearms, while American Indian and Alaska Native people had the highest firearm suicide rate for people under the age of 45.

Perhaps the biggest impact of gun violence is on youth. Firearms became the leading cause of death among U.S. children and adolescents in 2020. From 2012 to 2022, the firearm-related suicide rate increased 45% among children 15 to 24 years of age and 68% among children ages 10 to 14, according to the CDC.

In addition to the deaths and injuries, Murthy seemed to note the effects that shootings – and in particular mass shootings – are having not only on America’s population but on its collective psyche. (As of press time, nearly 400 mass shootings have occurred in the United States, according to the Gun Violence Archive, which defines them as incidents in which a minimum of four victims are shot, either injured or killed, not including any shooter who may also have been killed or injured in the incident.)

“People want to be able to walk through their neighborhoods and be safe,” Murthy told The Associated Press. “America should be a place where all of us can go to school, go to work, go to the supermarket, go to our house of worship, without having to worry that that’s going to put our life at risk.”

A Look at Other Advisories

During his time as Surgeon General, Murthy has issued six other advisories, many of which speak to non-traditional health issues. In addition to the recent advisory on the mental health and well-being of parents, he has addressed issues such as impact of social media use on youth mental health, the effects of loneliness and isolation, the well-being of health workers and workplace well-being.

T hese advisories from Murthy and previous Surgeon General’s reports can play a crucial role in shaping public policy and influencing health-related behaviors on a large scale. By distilling complex scientific data into accessible information, they help bridge the gap between research and public understanding. (For instance, a 1964 Surgeon General’s report on tobacco use significantly contributed to public awareness about the dangers of smoking and supported legislative measures aimed at reducing smoking rates.)

Surg eon General advisories also often mobilize community and healthcare resources, guiding intervention strategies and public health campaigns. For example, in times of crisis, such as during outbreaks or health emergencies, these advisories offer timely guidance that can be instrumental in managing and mitigating the impact on public health.

The Solutions

of firearm prevention strategies as well as greater investment in research and improving data collection regarding firearm-related incidents.

Until a few years ago, efforts to advance research on gun violence prevention were stalled for more than 20 years, due in large part to the enactment of the so-called “Dickey Amendment” in 1996 that stated, “none of the funds made available for injury prevention and control at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention may be used to advocate or promote gun control.” Until that time, the federal budget for researching gun violence had remained around nearly $3 million a year.

FIREARM VIOLENCE, BY THE NUMBERS

have been threatened with a firearm

have a family member who was killed by a firearm (including suicide)

The latest advisory marks the first by any Surgeon General related to gun violence. Among the report’s recommendations are calls for lawmakers to impose a ban on assault weapons and large-capacity magazines for use by civilians, universal background checks for gun purchases, requirements for safe storage laws, restrictions on the use and carry of guns in public spaces and implementation of policies that would allow for removing firearms from individuals deemed a danger to the themselves or others. The report also called for examining the short-term and long-term impact of gun violence and testing the efficacy

have witnessed someone being shot

have shot a firearm in self-defense

have been injured by a firearm

The situation changed in 2019 when Congress passed an omnibus bill that included a provision to dedicate $25 million toward gun violence research. Since then, an annual budget of $25 million a year has gone toward funding gun violence research, with that amount split between the CDC and the National Institutes of Health. Proposals to increase funding to $50 million a year have not passed.

Other recommendations from the Surgeon General’s health advisory include greater implementation of community violence intervention programs as well as increasing access to mental health care and substance use treatment resources. While some of the report’s recommendations might gain bipartisan support, banning assault rifles and universal background checks will likely face the biggest backlash from gun-rights proponents.

While it’s too early to predict the outcome of this recent health advisory, Sakran described Murthy’s move as “historic.” He said he hopes the advisory will lead to a cultural shift in how the American public views gun violence much in the way opinions about cigarettes began to change following the release of the Surgeon General’s landmark 1964 report. “There’s probably no other public health issue that’s more urgent or warrants the commission of such an advisory than gun violence.” l

Healthy Hearts and Minds, One Hospital at

a Time

How to find heart and stroke care near you, measured by the American Heart Association.

Every patient deserves access to high-quality heart and stroke care, regardless of where they live. As the American Heart Association celebrates its Centennial year, we recognize those hospitals across the country – from rural areas to the most populated cities – for consistently following up-to-date, research-based treatment guidelines for cardiovascular disease.

The hospitals awarded through these programs are helping to forge ahead into a second century of bold discovery to advance health and hope for everyone, everywhere. These hospitals maintain unrelenting standards to help patients live longer, healthier lives and have the opportunity for a higher quality of life. Read more about this recognition from the American Heart Association and find an award-winning hospital near you.

This content is produced by or on behalf of our sponsor; it is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the view of U.S. News & World Report editorial staff. Learn more at mediakit.usnews.com.

A Big Thanks to Our Sponsors.

These organizations are sponsors of American Heart Association’s health care quality improvement programs.

Every 34 seconds, someone in America dies of cardiovascular disease. Heart disease and stroke remain the No.1 and No.5 leading causes of death, respectively. In 2020, more people died from cardiovascular disease than in any year since 2003, with Asian, Black and Hispanic people more significantly impacted.

More than 2,800 hospitals participate in Get With The Guidelines, a 20-plus year effort to bring research-based, equitable care to heart and stroke patients. Heart disease and stroke claimed more lives in the U.S. in 2021 than all forms of cancer and chronic lower respiratory disease combined.

To find out more, visit usnewsbrandfuse.com/ AmericanHeartAssociation.

Key to the Awards

GET WITH THE GUIDELINES — STROKE, HEART FAILURE, RESUSCITATION, AFIB

Gold Plus Achievement � �

These hospitals are recognized for two or more consecutive calendar years of 85% or higher adherence on all achievement measures and 75% or higher adherence to an additional set of quality measures in heart failure and/or stroke.

Gold Achievement �������

These hospitals are recognized for adherence for two or more consecutive calendar years of 85% or higher adherence on all achievement measures applicable to each program (75% or higher adherence to the identified composite score for rural awards).

Silver Plus Achievement ���

These hospitals are recognized for one calendar year of 85% or higher adherence on all achievement measures and 75% or higher adherence to an additional set of quality measures in heart failure and/or stroke.

Silver Achievement ��� �����

These hospitals are recognized for one calendar year of 85% or higher adherence on all achievement measures applicable to each program (75% or higher adherence to the identified composite score for rural awards).

*These hospitals received Get With The Guidelines®-Resuscitation awards from the American Heart Association for two or more patient populations.

These hospitals are recognized for 10 or more consecutive calendar years of Gold Plus achievement in Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke and/or Get With The Guidelines®-Heart Failure

GET WITH THE GUIDELINES — CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE

STEMI: Receiving Gold Plus or Silver Plus ��

These hospitals are recognized for compliance to FMC at or before first hospital arrival to PCI ≤ 120 minutes for transferred STEMI patients for two or more consecutive, calendar years (Gold Plus) or one calendar year (Silver Plus), in addition to current Gold or Silver Mission: Lifeline status.

STEMI: Receiving Gold or Silver ���

These hospitals are recognized for two or more consecutive, calendar years (Gold) or one calendar year (Silver) of 75% compliance on each performance measure and 50% on arrival to first facility to PCI ≤ 120 minutes for patients transferred for primary PCI.

STEMI: Referring Gold Plus or Silver Plus ��

These hospitals are recognized for compliance to Door In / Door Out in 30 minutes or less for transferred STEMI patients for two or more consecutive, calendar years (Gold Plus) or one calendar year (Silver Plus), in addition to current Gold or Silver Mission: Lifeline status.

STEMI: Referring Gold or Silver ���

These hospitals are recognized for two or more consecutive, calendar years (Gold) or one calendar year (Silver) of 75% or higher compliance on each performance measure.

Rural Coronary Artery Disease: NSTE_ACS and STEMI ��

These hospitals are recognized for one calendar year (Silver) or two calendar years (Gold) of 75% or higher adherence to the identified composite score rural awards.

NSTEMI: Gold or Silver ��

These hospitals are recognized for achieving 65% adherence to Dual Antiplatelet prescription at discharge and 85% or higher compliance on each of the four performance measures for two or more consecutive calendar years (Gold) or one calendar year (Silver).

TARGET: AORTIC STENOSIS, HEART FAILURE, STROKE AND TYPE 2 DIABETES

Target: Aortic Stenosis™ Honor Roll �

These hospitals are recognized for 70% or higher achievement score on percentage of patients with a class I indication for aortic valve replacement who receive definitive treatment (valve replacement) within 90 days of initial diagnosis.

Target: Heart Failure™ Honor Roll �

These hospitals are recognized for 50% or higher adherence to all relevant Target measures in addition to their current Gold or Silver Get With The Guidelines®-Heart Failure status.

Target: Stroke™ Honor Roll Elite Plus �

These hospitals are recognized for treating 75% or more of their eligible stroke patients in 45 minutes or less∆ AND 50% of their eligible stroke patients in 30 minutes or less,∆ in addition to their current Gold or Silver Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke status.

Target: Stroke™ Honor Roll Elite �

These hospitals are recognized for treating 85% or more of their eligible stroke patients in 60 minutes or less∆ in addition to their current Gold or Silver Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke status.

Target: Stroke™ Honor Roll �

These hospitals are recognized for treating 75% or more of their eligible stroke patients in 60 minutes or less,∆ in addition to their current Gold or Silver Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke status.

Target: Stroke™ Honor Roll Advanced Therapy �

In addition to participating in Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke measuring, these hospitals are recognized for Door To Device (DTD) times in at least 50% of applicable patients within 90 minutes for direct arriving and within 60 minutes for transfers.

Target: Type 2 Diabetes™ Honor Roll �

A national honor roll program for hospitals participating in Get With The Guidelines® (CAD, HF, Stroke) to reinforce evidence-based guidelines with hospitals that qualify for a Silver level or higher achievement award in the related Get With The Guidelines module. These hospitals must be able to demonstrate adherence for 12 consecutive months (calendar year) for the “Overall Diabetes Cardiovascular Initiative Composite Score” measure in the selected module.

Find Your Hospital Listed Alphabetically By State

ALABAMA

Athens-Limestone Hospital, Athens

Baptist Medical Center South, Montgomery

Brookwood Baptist Health, Birmingham

Brookwood Medical Center, Birmingham ...............................................

Coosa Valley Medical Center, Sylacauga

Cullman Regional Medical Center, Cullman

Dale Medical Center, Ozark

DeKalb Regional Medical Center, Fort Payne

East Alabama Medical Center, Opelika

Flowers Hospital, Dothan

Grandview Medical Center, Birmingham

Huntsville Hospital, Huntsville

Medical Center Enterprise, Enterprise

Mobile Infirmary, Mobile

North Baldwin Infirmary, Bay Minette ..........................................................

North Mississippi Medical Center, Hamilton

Northeast Alabama Regional Medical Center, Anniston

Riverview Regional Medical Center, Gadsden

Shelby Baptist Medical Center, Alabaster ..............................................

Southeast Health Medical Center, Dothan

Thomas Hospital, Fairhope

UAB Hospital, Birmingham

USA Health University Hospital, Mobile

Whitfield Regional Hospital, Demopolis

ALASKA

Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, Anchorage

Alaska Regional Hospital, Anchorage

Central Peninsula Hospital, Soldotna

Fairbanks Memorial Hospital, Fairbanks

Mat-Su Regional Medical Center, Palmer

Providence Alaska Medical Center, Anchorage

ARIZONA

Abrazo Arrowhead Campus, Glendale

Abrazo Central Campus, Phoenix

Abrazo Scottsdale Campus, Phoenix

Abrazo West Campus, Goodyear ........................................................

Banner Baywood Medical Center, Mesa

Banner Boswell Medical Center, Sun City

Banner Del E Webb Medical Center, Sun City West

Banner Desert Medical Center, Mesa ..............................................

Banner Estrella Medical Center, Phoenix

Banner Thunderbird Medical Center, Glendale

Banner University Medical Center Phoenix, Phoenix

Banner University Medical Center Tucson, Tucson

Carondelet St. Joseph’s Hospital, Tucson

Carondelet St. Mary’s Hospital, Tucson

Dignity Health - Chandler Regional Medical Center, Chandler

Dignity Health - Mercy Gilbert Medical Center, Gilbert

Flagstaff Medical Center, Flagstaff

HonorHealth Deer Valley Medical Center, Phoenix .............................

HonorHealth John C. Lincoln Medical Center, Phoenix

HonorHealth Scottsdale Osborn Medical Center, Scottsdale ........

HonorHealth Scottsdale Shea Medical Center, Phoenix

HonorHealth Scottsdale Thompson Peak Medical Center, Scottsdale

Mayo Clinic Arizona, Phoenix ............................................................

Mountain Vista Medical Center, Mesa

Southern Arizona VA Health Care System, Tucson

St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix B

Summit Healthcare Association, Show Low

Tempe St. Luke’s Hospital, Tempe

Tucson Medical Center, Tucson

Valleywise Health Medical Center, Phoenix

Yuma Regional Medical Center, Yuma

ARKANSAS

Arkansas Methodist Medical Center, Paragould

Baptist Health Medical Center - Arkadelphia, Arkadelphia .........................

Baptist Health Medical Center - Hot Spring County, Malvern

Baptist Health Medical Center - Little Rock, Little Rock

Baptist Health Medical Center - Stuttgart, Stuttgart

Baptist Health-Fort Smith, Fort Smith

Baptist Health-Van Buren, Van Buren

Baptist Memorial Hospital Crittenden, West Memphis

Chambers Memorial Hospital, Danville

Chicot Memorial Hospital, Lake Village

CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs, Hot Springs

CHI St. Vincent Medical Center North, Sherwood

CHI St. Vincent Morrilton, Morrilton ............................................................

Regional Medical Center, Conway

Memorial Hospital, Dumas......................................................................

County Hospital, Salem

Regional Hospital, Calico Rock.................................................................

Regional Medical Center, Clarksville

Lawrence Memorial Hospital, Walnut Ridge

Mercy Hospital Booneville, Booneville

Mercy Hospital Fort Smith, Fort Smith

Hospital Rogers, Rogers

NEA Baptist Memorial Hospital, Jonesboro

North Arkansas Regional Medical Center, Harrison

Northwest Medical Center Bentonville, Bentonville

Ouachita County Medical Center, Camden

Piggott Community Hospital, Piggott

Mary’s Regional Medical Center, Russellville ...............................

Siloam Springs Regional Hospital, Siloam Springs

South Mississippi County Regional Medical Center, Osceola ........................

St. Bernards Five Rivers Medical Center, Pocahontas

St. Bernards Medical Center, Jonesboro .......................................

UAMS Medical Center, Little Rock

Unity Health - Newport, Newport

Wadley Regional Medical Center at Hope, Hope

Washington Regional Medical Center, Fayetteville

Achievement GWTG – CAD STEMI RECEIVING: B Gold Plus Receiving A Gold Receiving D Silver Plus Receiving

C Silver Receiving

CALIFORNIA

Adventist Health - Glendale, Glendale ..............................................

Adventist Health-Tehachapi Valley, Tehachapi

Adventist Health and Rideout, Marysville...........................................

Adventist Health Bakersfield, Bakersfield

Adventist Health Delano, Delano

Adventist Health Hanford, Hanford

Adventist Health Lodi Memorial, Lodi

Adventist Health Sierra Vista, San Luis Obispo

Adventist Health Simi Valley, Simi Valley

Adventist Health St. Helena, St. Helena

Adventist Health Tulare, Tulare

Adventist Health Ukiah Valley, Ukiah

Adventist Health White Memorial, Los Angeles

AHMC Seton Medical Center, Daly City .....................................................

Alameda Hospital, Alameda

Alta Bates Summit Medical Center | Summit Campus, Oakland

Antelope Valley Hospital, Lancaster

Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, Colton .........................................

Arroyo Grande Community Hospital, Arroyo Grande

Bear Valley Community Healthcare District, Big Bear Lake

California Hospital Medical Center, Los Angeles

California Pacific Medical Center | Davies & Van Ness Campuses, San Francisco

Cedars-Sinai Marina del Rey Hospital, Marina del Rey

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles

Centinela Hospital Medical Center, Inglewood

CHA Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center, Los Angeles

Chinese Hospital, San Francisco

Chino Valley Medical Center, Chino.............................................................

CHOC Children’s Hospital, Orange

Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula, Monterey

Community Memorial Hospital, Ventura

Community Regional Medical Center, Fresno ............................................

Corona Regional Medical Center, Corona

Dameron Hospital, Stockton

Desert Regional Medical Center, Palm Springs

Desert Valley Hospital, Victorville

Dignity Health - Glendale Memorial Hospital and Health Center, Glendale

Dignity Health Bakersfield Memorial Hospital, Bakersfield

Dignity Health Dominican Hospital, Santa Cruz

Dignity Health French Hospital Medical Center, San Luis Obispo

Dignity Health Marian Regional Medical Center, Santa Maria

Dignity Health Mercy Hospital of Folsom, Folsom..............................

Dignity Health Mercy Hospitals of Bakersfield, Bakersfield

Dignity Health Mercy Medical Center Merced, Merced ........................

Dignity Health Mercy Medical Center Redding, Redding

Dignity Health Northridge Hospital Medical Center, Northridge

Dignity Health Saint Francis Memorial Hospital, San Francisco

Dignity Health Sequoia Hospital, Redwood City

Dignity Health Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital, Grass Valley

Dignity Health St. John’s Hospital Camarillo, Camarillo

Dignity Health St. John’s Regional Medical Center, Oxnard

Dignity Health St Joseph’s Medical Center, Stockton

Dignity Health St. Mary’s Medical Center, San Francisco

Dignity Health, Mercy Mt. Shasta, Mount Shasta

Doctors Hospital of Manteca, Manteca

Doctors Medical Center Modesto, Modesto

GWTG – CAD STEMI REFERRING:

B Gold Plus Referring

A Gold Referring

D Silver Plus Referring

C Silver Referring

GWTG – RURAL CAD: NSTE_ACS AND STEMI

M Silver Achievement

L Silver Achievement

GWTG – CAD NSTEMI: A Gold C Silver

Eden Medical Center, Castro Valley

Eisenhower Health, Rancho Mirage

El Camino Health, Mountain View and Los Gatos......................................

Emanate Health-Queen of the Valley Hospital, West Covina

Encino Hospital Medical Center, Encino ................................................

Enloe Medical Center, Chico

Fairchild Medical Center, Yreka ........................................................................

Garden Grove Hospital Medical Center, Garden Grove

Garfield Medical Center, Monterey Park

Good Samaritan Hospital, San Jose

Healdsburg District Hospital, Healdsburg

Hemet Global Medical Center, Hemet

Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, Valencia

Hi Desert Medical Center, Joshua Tree

Hoag Hospital Irvine, Irvine

Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian, Newport Beach

Huntington Beach Hospital, Huntington Beach

Huntington Hospital, Pasadena .............................................................

JFK Memorial Hospital, Indio

John Muir Medical Center - Concord, Concord ..........................

John Muir Medical Center - Walnut Creek, Walnut Creek

Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Antioch, Antioch ...............................

Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Fremont, Fremont

Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Fresno, Fresno

Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Manteca, Manteca

Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Modesto, Modesto

Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Oakland, Oakland

Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Redwood City, Redwood City

Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Richmond, Richmond

Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Roseville, Rosevile

Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Sacramento, Sacramento

Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Francisco, San Francisco

Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Jose, San Jose ...........................

Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Leandro, San Leandro

Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Rafael, San Rafael ......................

Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Santa Clara, Santa Clara

Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Santa Rosa, Santa Rosa ....................

Kaiser Foundation Hospital - South Sacramento, Sacramento B

Kaiser Foundation Hospital - South San Francisco, South San Francisco

Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Vacaville, Vacaville

Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Vallejo, Vallejo

Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Walnut Creek, Walnut Creek

Kaiser Permanente Baldwin Park Medical Center, Baldwin Park

Kaiser Permanente Downey Medical Center, Downey

Kaiser Permanente Fontana Medical Center, Fontana

Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center, Los Angeles .

Kaiser Permanente Moreno Valley Medical Center, Moreno Valley

Kaiser Permanente Ontario Medical Center, Ontario ............................

Kaiser Permanente Orange County, Anaheim

Kaiser Permanente Panorama City Medical Center, Panorama City ..

Kaiser Permanente Riverside Medical Center, Riverside

Kaiser Permanente San Diego Medical Center, San Diego

Kaiser Permanente South Bay, Harbor City

Kaiser Permanente West Los Angeles, Los Angeles

Kaiser Permanente Woodland Hills, Woodland Hills

Kaiser Permanente Zion Medical Center, San Diego

I

Kaweah Delta Health Care District, Visalia A

Keck Hospital of USC, Los Angeles

TARGET: AORTIC STENOSIS, HEART FAILURE, STROKE AND TYPE 2 DIABETES :

K Target: Aortic StenosisTM Honor Roll

G Target: Heart FailureTM Honor Roll

F Target: StrokeTM Honor Roll Elite Plus

E Target: StrokeTM Honor Roll Elite

G Target: StrokeTM Honor Roll

J Target: StrokeTM Honor Roll Advanced Therapy

I Target: Type 2 DiabetesTM Honor Roll

Kern County Hospital Authority, Bakersfield

La Palma Intercommunity Hospital, La Palma

Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital, Loma Linda

Loma Linda University Medical Center Murrieta, Murrieta

Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda ..........................

Lompoc Healthcare District, Lompoc

Long Beach Medical Center, Long Beach ................................

Los Angeles General Medical Center, Los Angeles

MarinHealth Medical Center, Greenbrae

Marshall Medical Center, Placerville

Memorial Hospital Los Banos, Los Banos

Memorial Medical Center, Modesto, Modesto

MemorialCare - Saddleback Medical Center, Laguna Hills

Mercy General Hospital, Sacramento

Mercy San Juan Medical Center, Carmichael

Methodist Hospital of Sacramento, Sacramento

Mills-Peninsula Medical Center, Burlingame

Mission Community Hospital, Panorama City

Mission Hospital Regional Medical Center, Mission Viejo

Montclair Hospital Medical Center, Montclair.............................................

NorthBay Healthcare Group, Fairfield

Novato Community Hospital, Novato ....................................................

O’Connor Hospital, San Jose

Orange County Global Medical Center, Santa Ana

Orchard Hospital, Gridley

Oroville Hospital, Oroville

Palmdale Regional Medical Center, Palmdale

Palomar Medical Center Poway, Poway

Paradise Valley Hospital, National City

PIH Health Downey Hospital, Downey

PIH Health Whittier Hospital, Whittier

Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center, Pomona

Providence Cedars Sinai Tarzana Medical Center, Tarzana

Providence Holy Cross Medical Center, Mission Hills

Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center - San Pedro, San Pedro

Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center - Torrance, Torrance

Providence Petaluma Valley Hospital, Petaluma ........................................

Providence Saint John’s Health Center, Santa Monica

Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center, Burbank

Providence Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, Santa Rosa

Providence St. Mary Medical Center, Apple Valley

Queen of the Valley Medical Center, Napa

Redlands Community Hospital, Redlands

Regional Medical Center of San Jose, San Jose

Riverside Community Hospital, Riverside

Riverside University Health System-Medical Center, Moreno Valley

Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles

Saint Agnes Medical Center, Fresno

Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System, Salinas

San Antonio Regional Hospital, Upland

San Dimas Community Hospital, San Dimas .........................................

San Joaquin General Hospital, French Camp

San Ramon Regional Medical Center, San Ramon .................................

Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, Santa Barbara

Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, San Jose .........................................

Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center Orthopedic and Hospital, Santa Monica

Scripps Green Hospital, La Jolla

Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas, Encinitas

Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla, La Jolla

Scripps Mercy Hospital Chula Vista, Chula Vista

Scripps Mercy Hospital San Diego, San Diego ...................................

Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center, Chula Vista

Sharp Coronado Hospital, Coronado......................................................

Sharp Grossmont Hospital, La Mesa

Sharp Memorial Hospital, San Diego .............................................

Shasta Regional Medical Center, Redding

Sherman Oaks Hospital, Sherman Oaks

Sierra View Medical Center, Porterville

Southwest Healthcare System-Inland Valley Medical Center and Rancho Springs Medical Center, Wildomar

St. Bernardine Medical Center, San Bernardino

St. Elizabeth’s Community Hospital, Red Bluff

St. Francis Medical Center, Lynwood

St. Joseph Hospital, Orange

St. Jude Medical Center, Fullerton

St. Louise Regional Hospital, Gilroy .......................................................

St. Mary Medical Center, Long Beach

St Rose Hospital - Hayward, Hayward .........................................................

Stanford Health Care Tri-Valley, Pleasanton

Stanford Health Care, Stanford

Stanford Medicine Childrens Health , Palo Alto

Sutter Amador Hospital, Jackson

Sutter Auburn Faith Hospital, Auburn

Sutter Davis Hospital, Davis

Sutter Delta Medical Center, Antioch

Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento, Sacramento

Sutter Roseville Medical Center, Roseville

Sutter Santa Rosa Regional Hospital, Santa Rosa

Sutter Solano Medical Center, Vallejo

Sutter Tracy Community Hospital, Tracy

Tahoe Forest Hospital, Truckee

Temecula Valley Hospital, Temecula

Torrance Memorial Medical Center, Torrance ..................

Tri-City Medical Center, Oceanside

Twin Cities Community Hospital, Templeton .........................................

San Diego Health - East Campus, San Diego

UCI Health - Lakewood, Lakewood

UCI Health-Los Alamitos, Los Alamitos

UCI Health Fountain Valley, Fountain Valley

UCI Medical Center, Orange

UCLA West Valley Medical Center, West Hills

University of California San Francisco (UCSF), San Francisco

University of California, Davis Medical Center, Sacramento

USC Arcadia Hospital, Arcadia

USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles

VA Loma Linda Hospital, Loma Linda ...............................................................

Valley Presbyterian Hospital, Van Nuys

Ventura County Medical Center/Santa Paula Hospital, Ventura ..........

Washington Hospital Healthcare System, Fremont

West Anaheim Medical Center, Anaheim

Wilma Chan Highland Hospital Campus, Oakland

Woodland Memorial Hospital, Woodland

GWTG – HEART FAILURE: B Gold Plus Achievement A Gold Achievement

D Silver Plus Achievement

C Silver Achievement

GWTG – RURAL STROKE :

GWTG – RESUSCITATION : A Gold Achievement C Silver Achievement

GWTG – AFIB: A Gold Achievement C Silver Achievement

GWTG – CAD STEMI RECEIVING:

B Gold Plus Receiving A Gold Receiving D Silver Plus Receiving

C Silver Receiving

COLORADO

AdventHealth Avista Hospital, Louisville

AdventHealth Littleton Hospital, Littleton

AdventHealth Parker Hospital, Parker

AdventHealth Porter, Denver

Boulder Community Health Foothills Hospital, Boulder

CommonSpirit Longmont United Hospital, Longmont

CommonSpirit Penrose Hospital, Colorado Springs

CommonSpirit St. Anthony Hospital, Lakewood

CommonSpirit St. Anthony North Hospital, Westminster .....................

CommonSpirit St. Francis Hospital, Colorado Springs

Good Samaritan Hospital, Lafayette .....................................................

Greeley Hospital, Greeley

Gunnison Valley Health, Gunnison ...............................................................

Intermountain Health - Lutheran Medical Center, Wheat Ridge

Intermountain Health St. Mary’s Regional Hospital, Grand Junction

North Colorado Medical Center, Greeley

North Suburban Medical Center, Thornton

Parkview Medical Center, Pueblo

Pikes Peak Regional Hospital, Woodland Park

Platte Valley Medical Center, Brighton

Rose Medical Center, Denver

Saint Joseph Hospital, Denver

Sky Ridge Medical Center, Lone Tree

Swedish Medical Center, Englewood ........................................

The Medical Center of Aurora, Aurora

UCHealth Highlands Ranch Hospital, Highlands Ranch ..............................

UCHealth Longs Peak Hospital, Longmont

UCHealth Medical Center of the Rockies, Loveland .....................

UCHealth Memorial Hospital Central, Colorado Springs

UCHealth Memorial Hospital North, Colorado Springs

UCHealth Poudre Valley Hospital, Fort Collins

UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital, Aurora

CONNECTICUT

Bridgeport Hospital, Bridgeport

Charlotte Hungerford Hospital, Torrington

Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, Hartford

Danbury Hospital, part of Nuvance Health, Danbury

Day Kimball Hospital, Putnam

Greenwich Hospital, Greenwich

Griffin Hospital, Derby .........................................................................

Hartford Hospital, Hartford

Lawrence + Memorial Hospital, New London ..............................................

Manchester Memorial Hospital, Manchester

Middlesex Hospital, Middletown

Midstate Medical Center, Meriden

Norwalk Hospital part of Nuvance Health, Norwalk

Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center, Hartford

Sharon Hospital, Sharon

St. Vincent’s Medical Center, Bridgeport

Stamford Hospital, Stamford

The Hospital of Central Connecticut, New Britain

UCONN Health / John Dempsey Hospital, Farmington

Waterbury Hospital, Waterbury

William W. Backus Hospital, Norwich

Windham Hospital, Windham

Yale - New Haven Hospital, New Haven

GWTG – CAD STEMI REFERRING: B Gold Plus Referring

DELAWARE

Bayhealth Medical Center - Kent General Hospital, Dover

Bayhealth Sussex Campus, Milford

Beebe Healthcare, Lewes

Christiana Care Health Services, Inc., Newark

Saint Francis Inc., Wilmington

TidalHealth Nanticoke, Seaford

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, Washington

MedStar Washington Hospital Center, Washington

Sibley Memorial Hospital, Washington

The George Washington University Hospital, Washington

FLORIDA

AdventHealth Altamonte Springs, Altamonte Springs...............................

AdventHealth Apopka, Apopka

AdventHealth Celebration, Celebration .......................................................

AdventHealth Dade City, Dade City

AdventHealth Daytona Beach, Daytona Beach..................................

AdventHealth DeLand, DeLand

AdventHealth East Orlando, Orlando

AdventHealth Fish Memorial, Orange City

AdventHealth Heart of Florida, Davenport

AdventHealth Kissimmee, Kissimmee

AdventHealth New Smyrna Beach, New Smyrna Beach

AdventHealth North Pinellas, Tarpon Springs

AdventHealth Ocala, Ocala

AdventHealth Orlando, Orlando

AdventHealth Palm Coast Parkway, Palm Coast

AdventHealth Palm Coast, Palm Coast

AdventHealth Tampa, Tampa

Zephyrhills, Zephyrhills

Baptist Hospital of Miami, Miami

Baptist Hospital, Pensacola

Baptist Medical Center - Beaches (Baptist Health), Jacksonville

Baptist Medical Center - Jacksonville (Baptist Health), Jacksonville

Baptist Medical Center - South (Baptist Health), Jacksonville

Baptist Medical Center Clay, Fleming Island

Baptist Medical Center Nassau, Fernandina Beach

Bay Medical Center-Sacred Heart Health System, Panama City

Bayfront Health St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg

Bethesda Hospital East, Boynton Beach .................................................

Boca Raton Regional Hospital, Boca Raton

Health Coral Springs, Coral Springs .........................................

Health Imperial Point, Fort Lauderdale

Health Medical Center, Fort Lauderdale

Health North, Pompano Beach

Cape Canaveral Hospital, Cocoa Beach

Cape Coral Hospital, Cape Coral

Cleveland Clinic Florida, Weston

Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital, Vero Beach

Cleveland Clinic Martin Health, Stuart

Silver Achievement

Silver Achievement GWTG – CAD NSTEMI:

Gold Referring D Silver Plus Referring C Silver Referring GWTG – RURAL CAD: NSTE_ACS AND STEMI

TARGET: AORTIC STENOSIS, HEART FAILURE, STROKE AND TYPE 2 DIABETES :

K Target: Aortic StenosisTM Honor Roll

G Target: Heart FailureTM Honor Roll

F Target: StrokeTM Honor Roll Elite Plus

E Target: StrokeTM Honor Roll Elite

G Target: StrokeTM Honor Roll

J Target: StrokeTM Honor Roll Advanced Therapy

I Target: Type 2 DiabetesTM Honor Roll

Cleveland Clinic Tradition Hospital, Port Saint Lucie

Delray Medical Center, Delray Beach

DeSoto Memorial Hospital, Arcadia

Fishermen’s Community Hospital, Marathon

Good Samaritan Medical Center, West Palm Beach

Gulf Breeze Hospital, Gulf Breeze......................................................................

Gulf Coast Medical Center, Fort Myers

Halifax Health - UF Health Medical Center of Deltona, Deltona .................

Halifax Health Medical Center of Daytona Beach, Daytona Beach

Halifax Health Medical Center of Port Orange, Port Orange

HCA Florida Bayonet Point Hospital, Hudson

HCA Florida Blake Hospital, Bradenton

HCA Florida Brandon Hospital, Brandon

HCA Florida Capital Hospital, Tallahassee

HCA Florida Citrus Hospital, Inverness

HCA Florida Englewood Hospital, Englewood

HCA Florida Fawcett Hospital, Port Charlotte

HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital, Fort Walton Beach

HCA Florida Gulf Coast Hospital, Panama City

HCA Florida JFK Hospital, Atlantis

HCA Florida JFK North Hospital, West Palm Beach .....................................

HCA Florida Kendall Hospital, Miami

HCA Florida Lake Monroe Hospital, Sanford .........................................

HCA Florida Largo Hospital, Largo

HCA Florida North Florida Hospital, Gainesville ....................................

HCA Florida Northside Hospital, St. Petersburg

HCA Florida Oak Hill Hospital, Brooksville

HCA Florida Ocala Hospital, Ocala

HCA Florida Orange Park Hospital, Orange Park

HCA Florida Osceola Hospital, Kissimmee

HCA Florida Palms West Hospital, Loxahatchee

HCA Florida Raulerson Hospital, Okeechobee

HCA Florida Sarasota Doctors Hospital, Sarasota

HCA Florida South Shore Hospital, Sun City Center

HCA Florida South Tampa Hospital, Tampa

HCA Florida St. Lucie Hospital, Port Saint Lucie .....................................

HCA Florida St. Petersburg Hospital, Saint Petersburg

HCA Florida Trinity Hospital, Trinity .......................................................

HCA Florida West Hospital, Pensacola

HCA Florida West Marion Hospital, A part of HCA Florida Ocala Hospital, Ocala

HCA Florida Westside Hospital, Plantation

Holmes Regional Medical Center , Melbourne

Holy Cross Hospital, Fort Lauderdale

Jackson Memorial Hospital, Miami

Jackson North Medical Center, North Miami Beach

Jackson South Medical Center, Miami

Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, St. Petersburg

Jupiter Medical Center, Jupiter

Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center, Lakeland

Lakewood Ranch Medical Center, Bradenton ....................................

Lee Memorial Hospital, Fort Myers

Lower Keys Medical Center, Key West ..............................................................

Manatee Memorial Hospital, Bradenton

Mariners Hospital, Tavernier .............................................................................

Mayo Clinic Florida, Jacksonville

Mease Countryside Hospital, Safety Harbor

Mease Dunedin Hospital, Dunedin

STROKE:

Memorial Hospital Jacksonville, Jacksonville

Memorial Hospital Miramar, Miramar .........................................................

Memorial Hospital Pembroke, Pembroke Pines

Memorial Hospital West, Pembroke Pines ..........................................

Memorial Regional Hospital, Hollywood

Morton Plant Hospital, Clearwater

Mount Sinai Medical Center, Miami Beach

NCH Healthcare System, Naples

NCH North Naples Hospital, Naples

Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, Miami

Orlando Health - Dr. P. Phillips Hospital, Orlando

Orlando Health - Orlando Regional Medical Center, Orlando

Orlando Health - South Lake Hospital, Clermont

Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, Orlando

Orlando Health Inc. - Health Central Hospital, Ocoee ...........................

Orlando Health South Seminole Hospital, Longwood

Orlando Health St. Cloud Hospital, Saint Cloud...........................................

Oviedo Medical Center, Oviedo

Palm Bay Hospital, Palm Bay ..................................................................

Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center, Palm Beach Gardens

Palmetto General Hospital, Hialeah

Physicians Regional Healthcare System, Naples

Physicians Regional Medical Center - Collier Boulevard, Naples

Rockledge Regional Medical Center, Rockledge

Sacred Heart Health System, Pensacola

Santa Rosa Medical Center, Milton

Sarasota Memorial Health Care System, Sarasota

Sarasota Memorial Hospital - Venice, North Venice

South Florida Baptist Hospital, Plant City

South Miami Hospital, South Miami ....................................................

St. Anthony’s Hospital, St. Petersburg

St. Joseph’s Hospital - South, Riverview .....................................................

St. Joseph’s Hospital- North, Lutz

St. Joseph’s Hospital, Tampa ......................................................................

St. Marys Medical Center, West Palm Beach

St. Vincent’s Medical Center-Clay County, Middleburg

St. Vincent’s Medical Center Southside, Jacksonville

Steward Florida Medical Center, Fort Lauderdale

Steward North Shore Medical Center, Miami

Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare, Tallahassee

Tampa General Hospital, Tampa

Health Jacksonville, Jacksonville

UF Health Leesburg Hospital, Leesburg

UF Health Shands Hospital, Gainesville

UF Health St. Johns, Saint Augustine ...........................................................

UF Health The Villages Hospital, The Villages

University of Miami Health System, Miami ..................................

Viera Hospital, Viera

Wellington Regional Medical Center, Wellington .................................

West Boca Medical Center, Boca Raton

West Kendall Baptist Hospital, Miami

Winter Haven Hospital, Winter Haven

GEORGIA

AdventHealth Gordon, Calhoun

AdventHealth Redmond, Rome

Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center, Rome

Atrium Health Navicent Baldwin, Milledgeville

Atrium Health Navicent The Medical Center, Macon .........................

GWTG – HEART FAILURE: B Gold Plus Achievement A Gold Achievement D Silver Plus Achievement C Silver Achievement

GWTG – RESUSCITATION : A Gold Achievement C Silver Achievement

GWTG – AFIB: A Gold Achievement C Silver Achievement

GWTG – CAD STEMI RECEIVING:

B Gold Plus Receiving A Gold Receiving

D Silver Plus Receiving

C Silver Receiving

Candler Hospital, Savannah

Coffee Regional Medical Center, Douglas...................................................

Colquitt Regional Medical Center, Moultrie

Crisp Regional Health Services, Cordele ....................................................

Doctors Hospital Augusta, Augusta

East Georgia Regional Medical Center, Statesboro

Effingham Health System, Springfield

Emory Decatur Hospital, Decatur

Emory Johns Creek Hospital, Duluth

Emory Saint Joseph’s Hospital, Atlanta

Emory University Hospital Midtown, Atlanta

Emory University Hospital, Atlanta

Grady Health System, Atlanta

Hamilton Medical Center, Dalton

Higgins General Hospital, Bremen ...................................................................

Houston Healthcare - Warner Robins, Warner Robins

Memorial Hospital and Manor, Bainbridge.......................................................

Memorial University Medical Center, Savannah

Morgan Medical Center, Madison................................................................

Northeast Georgia Medical Center-Habersham , Demorest

Northeast Georgia Medical Center, Barrow, Winder

Northeast Georgia Medical Center, Braselton, Braselton

Northeast Georgia Medical Center, Gainesville

Northside Hospital Atlanta, Atlanta

Northside Hospital Cherokee, Canton

Northside Hospital Duluth, Duluth

Northside Hospital Forsyth, Cumming

Northside Hospital Gwinnett, Lawrenceville

Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital, Albany

Piedmont Athens Regional Medical Center, Athens

Piedmont Augusta Hospital, Augusta

Piedmont Cartersville Medical Center, Cartersville ...............................

Piedmont Columbus Midtown, Columbus

Piedmont Eastside Medical Center, Snellville .......................................

Piedmont Fayette Hospital, Fayetteville

Piedmont Henry Hospital, Stockbridge

Piedmont Hospital, Atlanta

Piedmont Macon Medical Center, Macon

Piedmont Mountainside Hospital, Jasper

Piedmont Newnan Hospital, Newnan

Piedmont Newton Hospital, Covington

Piedmont Rockdale Hospital, Conyers

Piedmont Walton Hospital, Monroe

SGMC Health, Valdosta

Southeast Georgia Health System, Brunswick

Southern Regional Medical Center, Riverdale

St. Francis - Emory Healthcare, Columbus

St. Joseph’s Hospital, Savannah

St. Mary’s Good Samaritan Hospital, Greensboro

St. Mary’s Hospital, Athens

St. Mary’s Sacred Heart Hospital, Lavonia

Tanner Medical Center/Carrollton, Carrollton

Tanner Medical Center/Villa Rica, Villa Rica

Tift Regional Medical Center, Tifton

Union General Hospital, Blairsville

Upson Regional Medical Center, Thomaston

Wellstar Cobb Hospital, Austell

Wellstar Douglas Hospital, Douglasville

WellStar Kennestone Regional Hospital, Marietta

WellStar MCG

GWTG – CAD STEMI REFERRING:

B Gold Plus Referring

A Gold Referring

D Silver Plus Referring

C Silver Referring

GWTG – RURAL CAD: NSTE_ACS AND STEMI M Silver Achievement L Silver Achievement

GWTG – CAD NSTEMI: A Gold C Silver

WellStar North Fulton Hospital, Roswell

WellStar Paulding Hospital, Hiram

WellStar Spalding Regional Hospital, Griffin

WellStar West Georgia Medical Center, LaGrange

GUAM

Guam Memorial Hospital, Tamuning

Guam Regional Medical City, Dededo

HAWAII

Adventist Health Castle, Kailua ..............................................................

Hilo Medical Center, Hilo

Kaiser Permanente Moanalua Medical Center, Honolulu

Kona Community Hospital, Kealakekua

Kuakini Medical Center, Honolulu

Maui Memorial Medical Center, Wailuku

Pali Momi Medical Center, Aiea

Straub Medical Center, Honolulu

The Queen’s Medical Center Punchbowl, Honolulu

Wilcox Medical Center, Lihue

IDAHO

Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center, Idaho Falls ..........................

Intermountain Cassia Regional Hospital, Burley

Portneuf Medical Center, Pocatello ....................................................

St. Luke’s Boise and Meridian Medical Centers, Boise

ILLINOIS

Advocate Christ Medical Center, Oak Lawn

Advocate Condell Medical Center, Libertyville

Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital, Downers Grove

Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital, Barrington

Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, Chicago

Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, Park Ridge

Advocate Sherman Hospital, Elgin .........................................

Advocate South Suburban Hospital, Hazel Crest

Advocate Trinity Hospital, Chicago................................................

Alton Memorial Hospital - BJC Healthcare, Alton

Ascension Alexian Brothers, Elk Grove Village

Ascension Mercy, Aurora

Ascension Resurrection, Chicago

Ascension Saint Alexius, Hoffman Estates

Ascension Saint Francis, Evanston

Ascension Saint Joseph - Elgin, Elgin

Ascension Saint Joseph - Joliet, Joliet

Ascension Saint Joseph Chicago, Chicago

Ascension Saint Mary Kankakee, Kankakee

Blessing Hospital, Quincy

Carle BroMenn Medical Center, Normal

Carle Eureka Hospital, Eureka ..........................................................................

Carle Foundation Hospital, Urbana

Carle Health Methodist Hospital, Peoria ...............................................

Carle Health Pekin Hospital, Pekin

Carle Health Proctor Hospital, Peoria ................................................

Cook County Health, Chicago

Decatur Memorial Hospital, Decatur

Edward Hospital, Naperville

Elmhurst Hospital, Elmhurst

TARGET: AORTIC STENOSIS, HEART FAILURE, STROKE AND TYPE 2 DIABETES :

K Target: Aortic StenosisTM Honor Roll

G Target: Heart FailureTM Honor Roll

F Target: StrokeTM Honor Roll Elite Plus

E Target: StrokeTM Honor Roll Elite

G Target: StrokeTM Honor Roll

J Target: StrokeTM Honor

Roll Advanced Therapy

I Target: Type 2

DiabetesTM Honor Roll

FHN Memorial Hospital, Freeport

Franciscan Health Olympia Fields, Olympia Fields

Gibson Area Hospital and Health Services, Gibson City

Herrin Hospital, Herrin

Hillsboro Area Hospital, Hillsboro

Horizon Health, Paris ........................................................................................

Ingalls Memorial Hospital, Harvey

Insight Hospital & Medical Center, Chicago ................................................

Javon Bea Hospital – Riverside, Rockford

Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood

MacNeal Hospital, Berwyn

Marshall Browning Hospital, Du Quoin

Mason District Hospital, Havana

Memorial Hospital Belleville, Belleville

Memorial Hospital of Carbondale, Carbondale

Memorial Hospital Shiloh, Shiloh

Memorial Hospital, Carthage

Mercy Harvard Hospital, Harvard

Mount Sinai Hospital, Chicago

Northshore University HealthSystem Evanston Hospital, Evanston ..........................................................................................

NorthShore University HealthSystem Glenbrook Hospital, Glenview ..............................................................................................

NorthShore University HealthSystem Highland Park Hospital, Highland Park ............................................................................................

Northwest Community Hospital, Arlington Heights

Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital, Winfield

Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital, Geneva

Northwestern Medicine Huntley Hospital, Huntley

Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital, Dekalb

Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital, Lake Forest

Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital, McHenry

Northwestern Medicine Palos Hospital, Palos Heights

Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago

OSF HealthCare Little Company of Mary Medical Center, Evergreen Park......................................................................................

OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony’s Health Center, Alton

OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center, Rockford ...................................

OSF Saint Francis Medical Center, Peoria

Riverside Medical Center, Kankakee ............................................................

Rush Copley Medical Center, Aurora

Rush Oak Park Hospital, Oak Park

Rush University Medical Center, Chicago

Saints Mary and Elizabeth Medical Center, Chicago

Sarah Bush Lincoln Fayette County Hospital, Vandalia

Springfield Memorial Hospital, Springfield

SSM Health Good Samaritan, Mount Vernon

SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital, Centralia

St. Joseph Memorial Hospital, Murphysboro

Swedish Hospital, part of NorthShore, Chicago

SwedishAmerican Hospital, A Division of UW Health, Rockford

UChicago Medicine AdventHealth Bolingbrook, Bolingbrook

UChicago Medicine AdventHealth GlenOaks, Glendale Heights

UChicago Medicine AdventHealth Hinsdale, Hinsdale

UChicago Medicine AdventHealth La Grange, La Grange ..........................

UChicago Medicine, Chicago

UI Health, Chicago

INDIANA

Ascension St. Vincent Anderson, Anderson

Ascension St. Vincent Evansville Hospital, Evansville

Ascension St. Vincent Hospital, Indianapolis

Baptist Health Floyd, New Albany

Columbus Regional Hospital, Columbus

Community Heart and Vascular, Indianapolis

Community Hospital - North, Indianapolis

Community Hospital East, Indianapolis

Community Hospital of Anderson, Anderson ....................................

Community Hospital, Community Healthcare System, Munster ......................................................................................

Community Howard, Kokomo

Community South, Indianapolis ..........................................................

Deaconess Gateway Hospital, Newburgh

Deaconess Hospital, Evansville

Elkhart General Hospital, Elkhart

Eskenazi Health, Indianapolis

Franciscan Health - Crown Point, Crown Point

Franciscan Health Indianapolis, Indianapolis

Franciscan Health Lafayette East, Lafayette

Franciscan Health Michigan City, Michigan City

Franciscan Health Mooresville, Mooresville

Good Samaritan Hospital, Vincennes

Indiana University Health Arnett, Lafayette ................................................

Indiana University Health Ball Memorial Hospital, Muncie

Indiana University Health Bloomington Hospital, Bloomington .........

Indiana University Health Methodist Hospital, Indianapolis

Indiana University Health North Hospital, Carmel .....................................

Indiana University Health West Hospital, Avon

Lutheran Hospital, Fort Wayne

Lutheran Kosciusko Hospital, Warsaw

Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center, Jasper

Memorial Hospital, South Bend

Methodist Hospitals, Inc., Gary

Northwest Health La Porte, La Porte

Parkview Regional Medical Center, Fort Wayne

Parkview Whitley Hospital, Columbia City

Reid Health, Richmond

St. Mary Medical Center, Hobart

Terre Haute Regional Hospital, Terre Haute ...........................................

Union Hospital - Clinton, Clinton

Union Hospital, Terre Haute .....................................................................

IOWA

Cass Health, Atlantic

CHI Health Mercy Hospital Council Bluffs, Council Bluffs

Genesis Health System- Davenport, Davenport

Greater Regional Health, Creston

Iowa Specialty Hospital Belmond, Belmond

Iowa Specialty Hospital Clarion, Clarion

Jackson County Regional Health Center, Maquoketa

Keokuk County Hospital and Clinics, Sigourney ..............................................

Mercy Medical Center-Cedar Rapids, Cedar Rapids

MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center, Des Moines .............................

Dubuque Medical Center, Dubuque

GWTG – HEART FAILURE:

Gold Plus Achievement

Gold Achievement

GWTG – RESUSCITATION

Silver Plus Achievement C Silver Achievement GWTG – CAD STEMI RECEIVING: B Gold Plus Receiving A Gold Receiving D Silver Plus Receiving C Silver Receiving

GWTG – AFIB:

Achievement

MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center, Mason City

MercyOne Siouxland Medical Center, Sioux City ................

Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospital, Council Bluffs

Montgomery County Memorial Hospital, Red Oak ....................................

Myrtue Medical Center, Harlan

Sioux Center Health, Sioux Center

St. Anthony Regional Hosptial, Carroll

UnityPoint Health Trinity Muscatine, Muscatine

University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center Downtown, Iowa City

University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City

UPH Allen Hospital, Waterloo

UPH Finley Hospital, Dubuque

UPH Iowa Methodist Medical Center, Des Moines

UPH St Luke’s Hospital Cedar Rapids, Cedar Rapids ..................................

UPH Trinity Bettendorf, Bettendorf

UPH Trinity Regional Medical Center, Fort Dodge ............................................

KANSAS

AdventHealth Shawnee Mission, Shawnee Mission

AdventHealth South Overland Park, Overland Park

Amberwell Health Hiawatha, Hiawatha

Via Christi Hospital Pittsburg, Pittsburg ........................................

Ascension Via Christi St. Francis, Wichita

CommonSpirit St. Catherine Hospital Garden City, Garden City

Community Healthcare System, Onaga

Edwards County Medical Center, Kinsley

HaysMed, Hays

Olathe Medical Center, Olathe

Overland Park Regional Medical Center, Overland Park

Providence Medical Center, Kansas City

Saint Luke’s South Hospital, Overland Park

Salina Regional Health Center, Salina

Stormont-Vail HealthCare, Topeka ..............................................

The University of Kansas Health System St. Francis Campus, Topeka .................................................................................................

The University of Kansas Health System, Kansas City

Wesley Medical Center, Wichita ............................................................

KENTUCKY

ARH Our Lady of the Way, Martin

Baptist Health Corbin, Corbin .................................................................

Baptist Health Deaconess Madisonville, Madisonville

Baptist Health Hardin, Elizabethtown

Baptist Health LaGrange, LaGrange

Baptist Health Lexington Hospital, Lexington

Baptist Health Louisville, Louisville

Baptist Health Paducah, Paducah

Baptist Health Richmond, Richmond

Barbourville ARH Hospital, Barbourville

Clark Regional Medical Center, Winchester

Ephraim McDowell Regional Medical Center, Danville

Frankfort Regional Medical Center, Frankfort

Georgetown Community Hospital, Georgetown

Greenview Regional Hospital, Bowling Green

Harlan ARH Hospital, Harlan

Hazard ARH Regional Medical Center, Hazard

Highlands ARH Regional Medical Center, Prestonsburg

King’s Daughters Medical Center, Ashland

GWTG – CAD

STEMI REFERRING:

B Gold Plus Referring

A Gold Referring

D Silver Plus Referring

C Silver Referring

GWTG – RURAL CAD: NSTE_ACS AND STEMI

M Silver Achievement

L Silver Achievement

GWTG – CAD NSTEMI: A Gold C Silver

McDowell ARH Hospital, McDowell

Mercy Health Lourdes Hospital, Paducah

Morgan County ARH Hospital, West Liberty

Murray Calloway County Hospital, Murray ...................................

Norton Audubon Hospital, Louisville

Norton Brownsboro Hospital, Louisville

Norton Hospital, Louisville

Owensboro Health, Owensboro

Pikeville Medical Center, Inc., Pikeville

Saint Joseph East, Lexington

Saint Joseph Hospital, Lexington

St. Claire Healthcare, Morehead

St. Elizabeth Edgewood, Edgewood

St. Elizabeth Florence, Florence

St. Elizabeth Ft. Thomas, Fort Thomas ........................................................

The Medical Center at Bowling Green, Bowling Green

TJ Samson Community Hospital, Glasgow ................................................

University of Kentucky Hospital, Lexington

UofL Health - Mary & Elizabeth, Louisville ..............................................

UofL Health - University Hospital, Louisville

Whitesburg ARH Hospital, Whitesburg

LOUISIANA

Children’s Hospital, New Orleans

CHRISTUS Ochsner St. Patrick Hospital, Lake Charles

East Jefferson General Hospital, Metairie

Glenwood Regional Medical Center, West Monroe

Lake Charles Memorial Health System, Lake Charles

Lakeview Hospital, Covington

Leonard J. Chabert Medical Center, Houma

New Orleans East Hospital, New Orleans

North Oaks Medical Center, Hammond

Ochsner Baptist, New Orleans

Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center, Lafayette ..........................

Ochsner LSU Health Monroe, Monroe

Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport, Shreveport .....................................

Ochsner Medical Center - Kenner, Kenner

Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans, New Orleans .........................

Ochsner Medical Center Baton Rouge, Baton Rouge

Ochsner Medical Center Westbank, Terrytown, LA, Gretna

Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center, Lafayette

Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, Baton Rouge

Rapides Regional Medical Center, Alexandria

Slidell Memorial Hospital East, Slidell

Slidell Memorial Hospital Main, Slidell

St. Charles Parish Hospital, Luling

St. Francis Medical Center, Monroe

St. Tammany Parish Hospital, Covington

Infirmary, New Orleans ..................................................................

University Healthcare Systems, LC dba Tulane University

and Clinic, New Orleans ......................................................................

Medical Center New Orleans (UMCNO), New Orleans

Jefferson Medical Center, Marrero ...............................................

Health System, Shreveport

WK Bossier Health Center, Bossier City

MAINE

Central Maine Medical Center, Lewiston

Eastern Maine Medical Center, Bangor

TARGET: AORTIC STENOSIS, HEART FAILURE, STROKE AND TYPE 2 DIABETES :

K Target: Aortic StenosisTM Honor Roll

G Target: Heart FailureTM Honor Roll

F Target: StrokeTM Honor Roll Elite Plus

E Target: StrokeTM Honor Roll Elite

G Target: StrokeTM Honor Roll

J Target: StrokeTM Honor Roll Advanced Therapy

I Target: Type 2

DiabetesTM Honor Roll

Maine Medical Center, Portland

MaineGeneral Medical Center, Augusta

Mid Coast Hospital - Maine Health, Brunswick

Northern Light Mercy Hospital, Portland

Pen Bay Medical Center, Rockport

Rumford Hospital, Rumford ..............................................................................

York Hospital, York

MARYLAND

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center, Rockville

Adventist HealthCare White Oak Medical Center, Silver Spring

Ascension Saint Agnes Hospital, Baltimore

CalvertHealth Medical Center, Prince Frederick

Carroll Hospital Center, Westminster

ChristianaCare - Union Hospital, Elkton .................................................

Doctors Community Medical Center, Lanham

Frederick Health Hospital, Frederick .............................................

Greater Baltimore Medical Center, Baltimore

Holy Cross Germantown Hospital, Germantown ........................................

Holy Cross Hospital, Silver Spring

Howard County General Hospital, Columbia

Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Baltimore

Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center, Annapolis

MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center, Baltimore

MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital, Baltimore

MedStar Harbor Hospital, Baltimore

MedStar Montgomery Medical Center, Olney

MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center, Clinton

MedStar Union Memorial Hospital, Baltimore

Mercy Medical Center, Baltimore ........................................................

Meritus Medical Center, Hagerstown

Northwest Hospital, Randallstown .....................................................

Sinai Hospital of Baltimore, Baltimore

Suburban Hospital Johns Hopkins Medicine, Bethesda

The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore

TidalHealth Peninsula Regional, Salisbury

University of Maryland Baltimore Washington Medical Center, Glen Burnie

University of Maryland Capital Region Medical Center, Largo

University of Maryland Charles Regional Medical Center, La Plata

University of Maryland Harford Memorial Hospital, Havre De Grace

University of Maryland Medical Center Midtown Campus, Baltimore

University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore

University of Maryland Shore Medical Center at Easton, Easton.........................................................................................

University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center, Towson

University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Medical Center, Bel Air

UPMC Western Maryland, Cumberland

MASSACHUSETTS

Addison Gilbert Hospital, Gloucester

Baystate Franklin Medical Center, Greenfield

Baystate Medical Center, Springfield

Baystate Wing Hospital, Palmer

Berkshire Medical Center, Pittsfield

Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital - Milton, Milton

Beverly Hospital, Beverly

Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston

Boston Medical Center, Boston

Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital, Boston

Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston

Cape Cod Hospital, Hyannis ........................................................................

Cooley Dickinson Hospital, Northampton

Emerson Health, Concord .......................................................................

Fairview Hospital, Great Barrington

Falmouth Hospital, member Cape Cod Healthcare, Falmouth ..........

Good Samaritan Medical Center, Brockton

Holy Family Hospital - Methuen, Methuen

Holyoke Medical Center, Holyoke

Lahey Hospital & Medical Center, Burlington, Burlington

Lawrence General Hospital, Lawrence

Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston

MetroWest Medical Center - Framingham, Framingham

Milford Regional Medical Center, Milford

Mount Auburn Hospital, Cambridge

Newton-Wellesley Hospital, Newton

Saint Anne’s Hospital, Fall River ...................................................................

Saint Vincent Hospital, Worcester

Salem Hospital, Salem .................................................................................

Southcoast Health Charlton Memorial Hospital, Fall River

Southcoast Health St. Luke’s Hospital, New Bedford ............................

Southcoast Health Tobey Hospital, Wareham

Steward St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center, Brighton

Sturdy Memorial Hospital, Attleboro

Tufts Medical Center, Boston

UMass Memorial - Marlborough Hospital, Worcester

UMass Memorial HealthAlliance-Clinton Hospital, Inc. (Clinton Campus), Clinton DI

UMASS Memorial HealthAlliance-Clinton Hospital, Leominster

UMass Memorial Medical Center - Memorial Campus, Worcester

UMass Memorial Medical Center, Worcester

MICHIGAN

Ascension Borgess Hospital, Kalamazoo

Ascension Macomb Oakland Hospital, Warren

Ascension Providence Hospital-Novi Campus, Novi

Ascension Providence Hospital-Southfield Campus, Southfield

Ascension Providence Rochester Hospital, Rochester

Ascension St. John Hospital, Detroit

Ascension St. Mary’s Hospital, Saginaw

Bronson Methodist Hospital, Kalamazoo

Corewell Health Beaumont Grosse Pointe Hospital, Grosse Pointe

Corewell Health Beaumont Troy Hospital, Troy ....................................

Corewell Health Big Rapids Hospital, Big Rapids

Corewell Health Dearborn Hospital, Dearborn .......................................

Corewell Health Farmington Hills Hospital, Farmington Hills

Corewell Health Gerber Hospital, Fremont

Corewell Health Grand Rapids Hospitals – Blodgett Hospital, Grand Rapids

Corewell Health Grand Rapids Hospitals – Butterworth Hospital, Grand Rapids

Corewell Health Lakeland Hospitals, Saint Joseph

Corewell Health Ludington Hospital, Ludington

Corewell Health Pennock Hospital, Hastings

Corewell Health Reed City Hospital, Reed City

Corewell Health Trenton Hospital, Trenton

Corewell Health William Beaumont University Hospital, Royal Oak

Covenant HealthCare, Saginaw

DMC Detroit Receiving Hospital, Detroit

DMC Harper University Hospital, Detroit

DMC Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital, Commerce Township

DMC Sinai-Grace Hospital, Detroit

Garden City Hospital, Garden City

Genesys Regional Medical Center, Grand Blanc

Henry Ford Allegiance Health, Jackson

Henry Ford Hospital and Health Network, Detroit

Henry Ford Macomb Hospital, Clinton Township ...................................

Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital, West Bloomfield

Henry Ford Wyandotte Hospital, Wyandotte ...............................................

Hurley Medical Center, Flint

Lake Huron Medical Center, Port Huron

McLaren Bay Region, Bay City

McLaren Flint, Flint

McLaren Lapeer Region, Lapeer

McLaren Northern Michigan, Petoskey

McLaren Port Huron Hospital, Port Huron

Memorial Healthcare, Owosso

Metro Health – University of Michigan Health, Wyoming

Munson Medical Center, Traverse City

MyMichigan Medical Center Midland, Midland

MyMichigan Medical Center West Branch, West Branch

ProMedica Charles and Virginia Hickman Hospital, Adrian ...........................

ProMedica Monroe Regional Hospital, Monroe

Scheurer Health, Pigeon ...................................................................................

Trinity Health Ann Arbor Hospital, Ypsilanti

Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Grand Rapids .........................................

Trinity Health Livonia, Livonia

Trinity Health Muskegon Hospital, Muskegon

Trinity Health Oakland, Pontiac

Trinity Health Shelby Hospital, Shelby

UMH-Sparrow, Lansing

University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor

UP Health Systems Marquette, Marquette

MINNESOTA

Abbott Northwestern Hospital, Minneapolis

Allina Health Faribault Medical Center, Faribault

Aspirus St. Luke’s Hospital, Duluth

Buffalo Hospital, Buffalo .........................................................................

Cambridge Medical Center, Cambridge

CentraCare St. Cloud Hospital, Saint Cloud

Essentia Health East. St. Mary’s Medical Center, Duluth

Essentia Health-St. Joseph’s Medical Center, Brainerd

Fairview Range Medical Center, Hibbing

Grand Itasca Clinic and Hospital, Grand Rapids

Hennepin Healthcare System, Inc., Minneapolis

Lakeview Memorial Hospital, Stillwater

M Health Fairview Lakes Medical Center, Wyoming

M Health Fairview Northland Medical Center, Princeton

M Health Fairview Southdale Hospital, Edina

M Health Fairview St. John’s Hospital, Maplewood

M Health Fairview University of Minnesota Medical Center, Minneapolis

Mayo Clinic Health System- Mankato, Mankato

Mayo Clinic Hospital - Rochester, Rochester ...................................

Mercy Hospital, Coon Rapids

Murray County Medical Center, Slayton

GWTG – CAD STEMI REFERRING:

B Gold Plus Referring

A Gold Referring

D Silver Plus Referring

C Silver Referring

GWTG – RURAL CAD: NSTE_ACS AND STEMI M Silver Achievement L Silver Achievement

GWTG – CAD NSTEMI:

North Memorial Health Hospital, Robbinsdale

Owatonna Hospital, Owatonna

Park Nicollet Methodist Hospital, Saint Louis Park

Regions Hospital, Saint Paul ...............................................................

United Hospital, Saint Paul

MISSISSIPPI

Baptist Medical Center – Attala, Kosciusko

Baptist Medical Center Leake, Carthage ..........................................................

Baptist Memorial Hospital - DeSoto, Southaven

Baptist Memorial Hospital - Golden Triangle, Columbus ............................

Baptist Memorial Hospital - North Mississippi, Oxford

Baptist Memorial Hospital - Union County, New Albany

Baptist Memorial Hospital- Calhoun, Calhoun City

Copiah County Medical Center, Hazlehurst

Covington County Hospital, Collins

Delta Health-The Medical Center, Greenville

Forrest General Hospital, Hattiesburg

Greenwood Leflore Hospital, Greenwood

Highland Community Hospital, Picayune

Jefferson Davis Community Hospital, Prentiss

Marion General Hospital, Columbia ..................................................................

Memorial Health System- Gulfport, Gulfport

Merit Health Madison, Canton ..........................................................................

Merit Health River Region, Vicksburg

Merit Health Wesley, Hattiesburg ........................................................

Methodist Olive Branch Hospital, Olive Branch

Mississippi Baptist Medical Center, Jackson

North Mississippi Medical Center, Tupelo

Ochsner Medical Center Hancock, Bay Saint Louis

Ochsner Rush Medical Center, Meridian

Pearl River County Hospital, Poplarville

River Oaks Hospital, Jackson

S.E. Lackey Memorial Hospital, Forest

Singing River Gulfport, Gulfport

Singing River Hospital Ocean Springs, Ocean Springs

Singing River Hospital Pascagoula, Pascagoula .................................

St. Dominic Memorial Hospital, Jackson

Stone County Hospital, Wiggins ..................................................................

University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson

MISSOURI

Barnes-Jewish Hospital, Saint Louis

Barnes-Jewish St. Peters Hospital, Saint Peters

Belton Regional Medical Center, Belton

Boone Hospital Center, Columbia .......................................................

Bothwell Regional Health Center, Sedalia

Cameron Regional Medical Center, Cameron ..................................................

Carroll County Memorial Hospital, Carrollton

Cass Regional Medical Center, Harrisonville

Centerpoint Medical Center, Independence

Christian Hospital, St. Louis

Citizens Memorial Hospital, Bolivar

Cox Barton County Hospital, Lamar

Cox Medical Center Branson, Branson

Cox Medical Center South, Springfield

Cox Monett Hospital, Monett

Freeman Health System, Joplin

Golden Valley Memorial Healthcare, Clinton

TARGET: AORTIC STENOSIS, HEART FAILURE, STROKE AND TYPE 2 DIABETES :

K Target: Aortic StenosisTM Honor Roll

G Target: Heart FailureTM Honor Roll

F Target: StrokeTM Honor Roll Elite Plus

E Target: StrokeTM Honor Roll Elite

G Target: StrokeTM Honor Roll

J Target: StrokeTM Honor

Roll Advanced Therapy

I Target: Type 2

DiabetesTM Honor Roll

Harrison County Community Hospital, Bethany

Hedrick Medical Center, Chillicothe

Lake Regional Health System, Osage Beach

Lee’s Summit Medical Center, Lee’s Summit

Liberty Hospital, Liberty

Mercy Hospital Jefferson, Crystal City ........................................................

Mercy Hospital Joplin, Joplin

Mercy Hospital Lincoln, Troy .............................................................

Mercy Hospital South, Saint Louis

Mercy Hospital Southeast, Cape Girardeau

Mercy Hospital Springfield, Springfield

Mercy Hospital St. Louis, St. Louis

Mercy Hospital Washington, Washington

Missouri Baptist Medical Center, Saint Louis

Missouri Baptist Sullivan Hospital, Sullivan

Missouri Delta Medical Center, Sikeston

Mosaic Life Care d/b/a Heartland Health, Saint Joseph

Mosaic Medical Center- Albany, Albany

Mosaic Medical Center-Maryville, Maryville

North Kansas City Hospital, North Kansas City

Northeast Regional Medical Center, Kirksville ......................................

Parkland Health Center, Farmington

Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center, Poplar Bluff .....................................

Progress West Hospital, O Fallon

Research Medical Center, Kansas City ...............................

Saint Francis Medical Center, Cape Girardeau

Saint Luke’s East Hospital, Lee’s Summit

Saint Luke’s Hospital of Kansas City, Kansas City

Saint Luke’s North Hospital, Kansas City

SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital, St. Louis

SSM Health DePaul Hospital, Bridgeton

SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital, Saint Louis

SSM Health St. Joseph Hospital Lake St. Louis, Lake St Louis

SSM Health St. Joseph Hospital -St. Charles, Saint Charles

SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital, St. Louis

SSM Health, St. Clare Hospital, Fenton ..............................................

St. Joseph Medical Center, Kansas City

St. Mary’s Health Center, Jefferson City .................................................

St. Mary’s Medical Center, Blue Springs

University Health Truman Medical Centers, Kansas City

University of Missouri Health Care, Columbia

Washington County Memorial Hospital, Potosi

Western Missouri Medical Center, Warrensburg

Wright Memorial Hospital, Trenton

MONTANA

Health System, Great Falls

Billings Clinic, Billings

Bitterroot Health, Hamilton

Bozeman Health Big Sky Medical Center, Big Sky

Bozeman Health Deaconess Hospital, Bozeman

Logan Health Medical Center, Kalispell

Logan Health Shelby, Shelby ..................................................................

Pondera Medical Center, Conrad

Providence St. Patrick Hospital, Missoula .........................................

Roundup Memorial Healthcare, Roundup

Ruby Valley Medical Center, Sheridan

St. Luke Community Healthcare, Ronan

St. Peter’s Hospital, Helena

St. Vincent Healthcare, Billings ..............................................................

NEBRASKA

Bellevue Medical Center, Bellevue

Bryan Medical Center, Lincoln ................................................................

Butler County Health Care Center, David City

CHI Health Creighton University Medical Center Bergan Mercy, Omaha

CHI Health Good Samaritan Hospital, Kearney

CHI Health Immanuel Medical Center, Omaha

CHI Health Lakeside Hospital, Omaha

CHI Health St. Elizabeth, Lincoln

CHI Health St. Francis Medical Center, Grand Island

Columbus Community Hospital, Columbus

Cozad Community Hospital, Cozad

Crete Area Medical Center, Crete

Faith Regional Health Services, Norfolk

Fillmore County Hospital, Geneva ....................................................................

Great Plains Health, North Platte

Kearney Regional Medical Center, Kearney .....................................................

Kimball Health Services, Kimball

Mary Lanning Healthcare, Hastings ...................................................

Methodist Fremont Health, Fremont

Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha

Nebraska Methodist Hospital, Omaha

Providence Medical Center, Wayne

Regional West Medical Center, Scottsbluff

NEVADA

Centennial Hills Hospital Medical Center, Las Vegas

Dignity Health St. Rose Dominican Hospital - San Martin Campus, Las Vegas

Dignity Health St. Rose Dominican Hospital - Siena Campus, Henderson

Elite

Center, Las Vegas

Hospital, Las Vegas

North Vista Hospital, North Las Vegas

Nellis

Northern Nevada Medical Center, Sparks ....................................

Nevada Sierra Medical Center, Reno

Regional Medical Center, Reno

Mary’s Regional Medical Center, Reno

Hills Hospital & Medical Center, Las Vegas

The ER at Mccarran NW, Reno

University Medical Center of Southern Nevada, Las Vegas

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon

Elliot Health System, Manchester .....................................................................

Exeter Hospital, Exeter

Frisbie Memorial Hospital, Rochester ..............................................................

Parkland Medical Center, Derry

Portsmouth Regional Hospital, Portsmouth

Wentworth-Douglass Hospital, Dover

NEW JERSEY

AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, Pomona

Capital Health Medical Center- Hopewell, Pennington ...............................

Capital Health Regional Medical Center, Trenton

CarePoint Health - Bayonne Medical Center, Bayonne ...............................

CarePoint Health - Christ Hospital, Jersey City

CarePoint Health - Hoboken University Medical Center, Hoboken

CentraState Medical Center, Freehold

Chilton Medical Center, Pompton Plains

Cooper University Healthcare, Camden

Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center, Livingston

Deborah Heart and Lung Center, Browns Mills

Englewood Hospital and Medical Center, Englewood

Hackensack Meridian Bayshore Medical Center, Holmdel

Hackensack Meridian Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackensack .................................................................................

Hackensack Meridian Health Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Neptune ...............................................................

Hackensack Meridian JFK University Medical Center, Edison

Hackensack Meridian Mountainside Medical Center, Montclair ......

Hackensack Meridian Ocean University Medical Center, Brick

Hackensack Meridian Palisades Medical Center, North Bergen

Hackensack Meridian Riverview Medical Center, Red Bank

Hackensack Meridian Southern Ocean Medical Center, Manahawkin

Hackettstown Medical Center, Hackettstown

Holy Name Medical Center, Teaneck

Hunterdon Healthcare, Flemington

Inspira Medical Center Elmer, Elmer ................................................................

Inspira Medical Center Mullica Hill, Mullica Hill

Inspira Medical Center Vineland, Vineland ......................................

Jefferson Cherry Hill Hospital, Cherry Hill

Jefferson Stratford Hospital, Stratford ................................................

Jefferson Washington Township Hospital, Turnersville

Jersey City Medical Center, Jersey City

Monmouth Medical Center, Long Branch

Morristown Medical Center, Morristown

Newton Medical Center, Newton

Overlook Medical Center, Summit

Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center, Plainsboro

Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset, Somerville

Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, New Brunswick

Saint Clare’s Health, Denville

Saint Michaels Medical Center, Newark ......................................................

Saint Peter’s University Hospital, New Brunswick

Shore Medical Center, Somers Point

St. Joseph’s University Medical Center, Paterson

St. Joseph’s Wayne Medical Center, Wayne

St. Luke’s Warren Hospital, Phillipsburg

St. Mary’s General Hospital, Passaic

GWTG – CAD STEMI REFERRING:

B Gold Plus Referring

A Gold Referring

D Silver Plus Referring

C Silver Referring

GWTG – RURAL CAD: NSTE_ACS AND STEMI M Silver Achievement L Silver Achievement

GWTG – CAD NSTEMI:

The Valley Hospital, Ridgewood ..............................................................

University Hospital, Newark

Virtua Marlton Hospital, Marlton ............................................................

Virtua Memorial Hospital of Burlington County, Mt. Holly

Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Camden

Virtua Voorhees Hospital, Voorhees

Virtua Willingboro Hospital, Willingboro

NEW MEXICO

Christus St. Vincent Regional Hospital, Santa Fe

Eastern New Mexico Medical Center, Roswell ..................................

Lovelace Medical Center, Albuquerque

Lovelace Westside Hospital, Albuquerque .......................................................

MountainView Regional Medical Center, Las Cruces

PHC-Las Cruces, Inc. dba Memorial Medical Center, Las Cruces .............

Presbyterian Healthcare Services, Albuquerque

University of New Mexico Hospitals, Albuquerque

NEW YORK

Albany Medical Center, Albany

Arnot Ogden Medical Center, Elmira

Auburn Community Hospital, Auburn

Bassett Medical Center, Cooperstown

BronxCare Health System, Bronx

Brookdale University Hospital Medical Center, Brooklyn .............

Catholic Health - Kenmore Mercy Hospital, Buffalo

Catholic Health - Mercy Hospital of Buffalo, Buffalo......................

Catholic Health - Mount St. Mary’s Hospital, Lewiston

Catholic Health- Sisters of Charity Hospital, Buffalo .................................

Cayuga Medical Center, Ithaca

Cohen Children’s Medical Center, New Hyde Park

Crouse Hospital, Syracuse

Ellis Medicine, Schenectady

F.F. Thompson Hospital, Canandaigua

Flushing Hospital Medical Center, Flushing

Garnet Health Medical Center - Catskills, Harris

Garnet Health Medical Center, Middletown

Gates Vascular Institute / Buffalo General Medical Center,

Geneva General Hospital, Geneva

Glen Cove Hospital, Glen Cove ...........................................................

Glens Falls Hospital, Glens Falls

Good Samaritan Hospital, a member of WMC Health, Suffern

Good Samaritan University Hospital, West Islip

Guthrie Corning Hospital, Corning..........................................................

HealthAlliance: Broadway Campus a Member of the WMC Health Network, Kingston

Highland Hospital, Rochester

Huntington Hospital, Huntington

Interfaith Medical Center, Brooklyn

Ira Davenport Memorial Hospital, Bath

Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, Richmond Hill

Jones Memorial Hospital, Wellsville

Lenox Hill Hospital, New York

Lewis County Health System, Lowville

LIJ Medical Center at Forest Hills, Forest Hills.....................................

LIJ Valley Stream, Valley Stream

Long Island Community Hospital, Patchogue ......................................

Long Island Jewish Medical Center, New Hyde Park

Maimonides Medical Center, Brooklyn.............................................

TARGET: AORTIC STENOSIS, HEART FAILURE, STROKE AND TYPE 2 DIABETES :

K Target: Aortic StenosisTM Honor Roll

G Target: Heart FailureTM Honor Roll

F Target: StrokeTM Honor Roll Elite Plus

E Target: StrokeTM Honor Roll Elite

G Target: StrokeTM Honor Roll

J Target: StrokeTM Honor Roll Advanced Therapy

I Target: Type 2

DiabetesTM Honor Roll

Maimonides Midwood Community Hospital, Brooklyn

Mather Hospital Northwell Health, Port Jefferson

Mercy Medical Center, Rockville Centre

MidHudson Regional Hospital of WMC Health, Poughkeepsie

Montefiore Medical Center - Moses Campus, Bronx .................................

Montefiore Mount Vernon Hospital, Mount Vernon

Montefiore New Rochelle Hospital, New Rochelle .................................

Montefiore Nyack Hospital, Nyack

Montefiore St. Luke’s Cornwall, Newburgh

Mount Sinai Beth Israel, New York

Mount Sinai Brooklyn, Brooklyn

Mount Sinai Morningside, New York

Mount Sinai Queens, Astoria

Mount Sinai South Nassau, Oceanside

Mount Sinai West, New York

Nassau University Medical Center, East Meadow

Newark–Wayne Community Hospital, Newark

NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, Brooklyn

NewYork-Presbyterian Hudson Valley Hospital, Cortlandt Manor

NewYork-Presbyterian Queens, Flushing ........................................

NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center, New York

NewYork-Presbyterian/Lower Manhattan Hospital, New York

NewYork-Presbyterian/The Allen Hospital, New York

NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, New

NewYork-Presbyterian/Westchester, Bronxville

Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center, Niagara Falls

North Shore University Hospital, Manhasset

Northern Dutchess Hospital, Rhinebeck

Northern Westchester Hospital, Mount Kisco

NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue, New York

NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst, Elmhurst

NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem, New York

NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi, Bronx .........................................

NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County, Brooklyn

NYC Health+Hospitals/Lincoln, Bronx

NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan, New York

NYC Health + Hospitals/North Central Bronx, Bronx

NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens, Jamaica

NYC Health + Hospitals/South Brooklyn Health, Brooklyn

NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull, Brooklyn

NYU Langone Hospital - Brooklyn, Brooklyn

NYU Langone Hospital – Long Island, Mineola

NYU Langone Hospitals, New York

Olean General Hospital, Member: Upper Allegheny Health System, Olean

Peconic Bay Medical Center Northwell Health, Riverhead

Phelps Hospital, Northwell Health, Sleepy Hollow

Plainview Hospital, Plainview ................................................................

Putnam Hospital Center, Carmel

Richmond University Medical Center, Staten Island

Rochester General Hospital, Rochester

Rochester Regional Health United Memorial Medical Center, Batavia

Rome Memorial Hospital, Rome

Saint Joseph’s Medical Center, Yonkers

Samaritan Hospital, Troy

Samaritan Medical Center, Watertown

Saratoga Hospital, Saratoga Springs

SBH Health System, Bronx ....................................................................

Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hospital, Penn Yan

South Shore University Hospital, Bay Shore ..........................

St. Catherine of Siena Hospital, Smithtown

St. Charles Hospital, Port Jefferson

St. Francis Hospital and Heart Center, Roslyn

St. James Hospital, Hornell

St. John’s Episcopal Hospital, Far Rockaway

St. John’s Riverside Hospital, Yonkers

St. Joseph Hospital, Bethpage

St. Joseph’s Health, Syracuse

St. Peter’s Hospital, Albany

Staten Island University Hospital - Prince’s Bay, Staten Island

Staten Island University Hospital, Staten Island ..............................

Stony Brook Southampton Hospital , Southampton

Stony Brook University Hospital, Stony Brook .......................

The Brooklyn Hospital Center, Brooklyn

The Mount Sinai Hospital, New York ..............................................

UHS Wilson Medical Center, Johnson City

Unity Hospital, Rochester

University Hospital at Downstate – Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn

University of Vermont Healthnetwork-Champlain Valley Physician’s Hospital, Plattsburgh

Upstate University Hospital, Syracuse

UR Medicine Strong Memorial Hospital, Rochester

Vassar Brothers Medical Center, Poughkeepsie

Westchester Medical Center, Valhalla

White Plains Hospital, White Plains .........................................

Heights Medical Center, Brooklyn

Hospital, Utica ............................................................................

NORTH CAROLINA

Annie Penn Hospital, Reidsville

Atrium Health Cabarrus, Concord ...........................................

Atrium Health Cleveland, Shelby

Atrium Health Kings Mountain, Kings Mountain ..........................................

Atrium Health Lincoln, Lincolnton

Atrium Health Mercy, Charlotte

Atrium Health Pineville, Charlotte

Atrium Health Stanly, Albemarle

Atrium Health Union, Monroe

Atrium Health University City, Charlotte

Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist High Point Medical Center, High Point

Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Lexington Medical Center, Lexington

Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Winston-Salem

Atrium Health’s Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte ...........

Cape Fear Valley Medical Center, Fayetteville

CarolinaEast Medical Center, New Bern ........................................

CaroMont Regional Medical Center, Gastonia

Carteret Health Care, Morehead City

Central Carolina Hospital, Sanford

Columbus Regional Healthcare, Whiteville

Cone Health Alamance Regional Hospital, Burlington

Duke Raleigh Hospital, Raleigh

Duke Regional Hospital, Durham

Duke University Hospital, Durham

Achievement

Receiving

Durham VA HealthCare System, Durham

ECU Health Beaufort Hospital - A Campus of ECU Health Medical Center, Washington

ECU Health Chowan Hospital, Edenton............................................................

ECU Health Duplin Hospital, Kenansville

ECU Health Edgecombe Hospital, Tarboro

ECU Health Medical Center, Greenville

ECU Health North Hospital, Roanoke Rapids

ECU Health Roanoke-Chowan Hospital, Ahoskie

FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital - Hoke, Raeford

FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital - Richmond, Rockingham

FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital, Pinehurst

Frye Regional Medical Center, Hickory

Granville Health System, Oxford

Hugh Chatham Memorial Hospital, Elkin ..........................................

Iredell Memorial Hospital, Statesville

Lake Norman Regional Medical Center, Mooresville ..................................

Maria Parham Medical Center, LLC, Henderson

Mission Hospital McDowell, Marion ..................................................

Mission Hospitals, Inc., Asheville

Nash UNC Health Care, Rocky Mount

Northern Regional Hospital, Mount Airy

Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center, Bolivia

Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center, Winston-Salem

Novant Health Huntersville Medical Center, Huntersville

Novant Health Kernersville Medical Center, Kernersville

Novant Health Matthews Medical Center, Matthews

Novant Health Mint Hill Medical Center, Charlotte

Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center, Wilmington ....................................................................

Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center, Charlotte

Novant Health Rowan Medical Center, Salisbury

Novant Health Thomasville Medical Center, Thomasville

Onslow Memorial Hospital, Jacksonville................................................

Rutherford Regional Medical Center, Rutherfordton

Sentara Albemarle Medical Center, Elizabeth City

The Moses H Cone Memorial Hospital, Greensboro

The Outer Banks Hospital, Nags Head

UNC Health Blue Ridge, Morganton

UNC Health Johnston , Smithfield

UNC Health Lenoir, Kinston

UNC Health Pardee, Hendersonville

UNC Hospitals, Chapel Hill

UNC REX Healthcare, Raleigh

UNC REX Holly Springs Hospital, Holly Springs ..........................................

WakeMed Health & Hospitals - Cary Campus, Cary

WakeMed Health & Hospitals - Raleigh Campus, Raleigh

Watauga Medical Center, Boone

Wayne UNC Health Care, Goldsboro

Wilson Medical Center, Wilson

NORTH DAKOTA

Altru Health System, Grand Forks

CHI Mercy Health - Valley City, Valley City

CHI St. Alexius Dickinson, Dickinson

CHI St. Alexius Health Bismarck, Bismarck

Essentia Health, Fargo

Heart of America Medical Center, Rugby

Jamestown Regional Medical Center, Jamestown

Langdon Prairie Health, Langdon

GWTG – CAD

STEMI REFERRING:

B Gold Plus Referring

A Gold Referring

D Silver Plus Referring

C Silver Referring

GWTG – RURAL CAD: NSTE_ACS AND STEMI

M Silver Achievement

L Silver Achievement

GWTG – CAD NSTEMI:

A Gold

C Silver

Northwood Deaconess Health Center, Northwood

Oakes Community Hospital, Oakes

Sanford Bismarck Medical Center, Bismarck

Sanford Hillsboro Medical Center, Hillsboro

Sanford Medical Center Fargo, Fargo ................................................

Sanford Medical Center Mayvile, Mayville

SMP Health - St Kateri, Rolla ............................................................................

South Central Health Wishek, Wishek

Southwest Healthcare Services, Bowman .......................................................

St. Andrew’s Health Center, Bottineau

Tioga Medical Center, Tioga

Towner County Medical Center, Cando

Trinity Health, Minot

West River Health Services, Hettinger

OHIO

Adena Regional Medical Center, Chillicothe

Atrium Medical Center, Middletown

Aultman Alliance Community Hospital, Alliance

Aultman Hospital, Canton

Bethesda Butler Hospital, Hamilton

Cincinnati Children’s, Cincinnati

Cleveland Clinic Akron General Medical Center, Akron

Cleveland Clinic Avon Hospital, Avon.....................................................

Cleveland Clinic Euclid Hospital, Euclid

Cleveland Clinic Fairview Hospital, Cleveland ............................

Cleveland Clinic Hillcrest Hospital, Mayfield Heights

Cleveland Clinic Lutheran Hospital, Cleveland .................................................

Cleveland Clinic Marymount Hospital, Garfield Heights

Cleveland Clinic Medina Hospital, Medina

Cleveland Clinic Mercy Hospital, Canton

Cleveland Clinic Union Hospital, Dover

Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland

Clinton Memorial Hospital, Wilmington

Coshocton Regional Medical Center, Coshocton

East Liverpool City Hospital, East Liverpool

Fairfield Medical Center, Lancaster

Firelands Regional Medical Center, Sandusky

Fisher Titus Medical Center, Norwalk............................................

Healthcare System, Zanesville

Good Samaritan Hospital, Cincinnati .......................................

Holzer Health System, Gallipolis

Kettering Health Dayton, Dayton ............................................................

Kettering Health Greene Memorial, Xenia

Kettering Health Hamilton, Hamilton

Kettering Health Main Campus, Dayton

Kettering Health Miamisburg, Miamisburg

Knox Community Hospital, Mount Vernon

Licking Memorial Hospital, Newark

Lima Memorial Health System, Lima

Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, Cleveland

Madison Health, London

Marietta Memorial Hospital, Marietta

McCullough Hyde Memorial Hospital, Oxford ......................................

Mercer Health, Coldwater

Mercy Health - Anderson Hospital, Cincinnati ...................................

Mercy Health - St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital, Youngstown

Mercy Health – Fairfield Hospital , Fairfield..................................

Mercy Health Clermont Hospital, Batavia

Mercy Health St. Charles Hospital, Oregon

TARGET: AORTIC STENOSIS, HEART FAILURE, STROKE AND TYPE 2 DIABETES :

K Target: Aortic StenosisTM Honor Roll

G Target: Heart FailureTM Honor Roll

F Target: StrokeTM Honor Roll Elite Plus

E Target: StrokeTM Honor Roll Elite

G Target: StrokeTM Honor Roll

J Target: StrokeTM Honor Roll Advanced Therapy

I Target: Type 2

DiabetesTM Honor Roll

Mercy Health West Hospital, Cincinnati

Mercy St. Vincent Medical Center, Toledo

Mercyhealth- Urbana Hospital, Urbana

Miami Valley Hospital, Dayton

Miami Valley South, Centerville

Mount Carmel Health System, Columbus ..............................................

Mount Carmel St. Ann’s, Westerville

Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus

OhioHealth Doctors Hospital, Columbus

OhioHealth Grant Medical Center, Columbus

OhioHealth Mansfield Hospital, Mansfield

OhioHealth Marion General Hospital, Marion

OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital, Columbus

Pomerene Hospital, Millersburg

ProMedica Bay Park Hospital, Oregon

ProMedica Flower Hospital, Sylvania

ProMedica Memorial Hospital, Fremont

ProMedica Toledo Hospital, Toledo

Soin Medical Center, Beaver Creek

Southwest General Health Center, Middleburg Heights

Springfield Regional Medical Center, Springfield .......................................

St. Rita’s Medical Center, Lima

Summa Health System - Akron Campus, Akron .............................

The Christ Hospital, Cincinnati

The Jewish Hospital Mercy Health, Cincinnati ........................

The MetroHealth System, Cleveland

The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center East Hospital, Columbus

The University of Toledo Medical Center, Toledo

TriHealth Bethesda North Hospital, Cincinnati

Trumbull Regional Medical Center- Steward Health, Warren

UC Health – University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati

UC Health – West Chester Hospital, West Chester

UH Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, Cleveland

University Hospitals Ahuja Medical Center, Beachwood ............................

University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland

University Hospitals Conneaut Medical Center, Conneaut ........................

University Hospitals Elyria Medical Center, Elyria

University Hospitals Geauga Medical Center, Chardon

University Hospitals Geneva Medical Center, Geneva

University Hospitals Parma Medical Center, Parma

University Hospitals Portage Medical Center, Ravenna

University Hospitals Samaritan Medical Center, Ashland

University Hospitals St. John Medical Center, Westlake

University Hospitals Tripoint Medical Center/University Hospitals

Medical Center, Painesville

Upper Valley Medical Center, Troy

Western Reserve Hospital, LLC, Cuyahoga Falls

Wooster Community Hospital, Wooster

OKLAHOMA

Ascension St. John Medical Center, Tulsa

Cherokee Nation Health Services WW Hastings Hospital, Tahlequah

Comanche County Memorial Hospital, Lawton ...........................

Duncan Regional Hospital, Duncan

Hillcrest Hospital South, Tulsa ....................................................................

Hillcrest Medical Center, Tulsa

Integris Baptist Medical Center Portland Avenue, Oklahoma City

INTEGRIS Baptist Medical Center, Oklahoma City ...............................

INTEGRIS Southwest Medical Center, Oklahoma City

McAlester Regional Health Center, McAlester .................................................

Memorial Hospital of Texas County, Guymon

Mercy Hospital Oklahoma City Comprehensive Stroke Center, Oklahoma City

Norman Regional Health System, Norman

Northeastern Health System, Tahlequah

Okeene Municipal Hospital, Okeene

Oklahoma State University Medical Trust dba Oklahoma State University Medical Center, Tulsa

OU Health University of Oklahoma Medical Center, Oklahoma City

Saint Francis Hospital Muskogee, Muskogee

Saint Francis Hospital South, Tulsa .......................................................

Saint Francis Hospital Vinita, Vinita

Saint Francis Hospital, Tulsa ....................................................

St. Anthony Hospital, Oklahoma City

St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center, Enid ..............................................

Stillwater Medical Center, Stillwater

OREGON

Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center, Medford .................................

Asante Three Rivers Medical Center, Grants Pass

Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center, Corvallis

Hillsboro Medical Center, Hillsboro

Kaiser Sunnyside Medical Center, Clackamas

Kaiser Westside Medical Center, Hillsboro

Emanuel Medical Center, Portland

Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center, Portland

Meridian Park Medical Center, Tualatin

Mount Hood Medical Center, Gresham

Portland

PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center RiverBend, Springfield

Providence Medford Medical Center, Medford

Providence Portland Medical Center, Portland..................................

Providence St. Vincent Medical Center, Portland

Providence Willamette Falls Medical Center, Oregon City.....................

Salem Hospital, Salem

Samaritan Albany General Hospital, Albany

Samaritan Lebanon Community Hospital, Lebanon

Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital, Lincoln City

Samaritan Pacific Communities Hospital, Newport

Sky Lakes Medical Center, Klamath Falls

St. Anthony Hospital, Pendleton

St. Charles Medical Center, Bend

St. Charles Medical Center-Redmond, Redmond

St. Charles Prineville, Prineville

Wallowa Memorial Hospital, Enterprise ...........................................................

PENNSYLVANIA

ACMH Hospital, Kittanning

AHN Wexford Hospital, Wexford ........................................................

Allegheny General Hospital, Pittsburgh

Allegheny Valley Hospital, Natrona Heights ........................................

Bryn Mawr Hospital, Bryn Mawr

Butler Memorial Hospital, Butler ......................................................

Canonsburg Hospital, Canonsburg

Chester County Hospital, West Chester

GWTG – HEART FAILURE: B Gold Plus Achievement

Gold Achievement D Silver Plus Achievement C Silver Achievement

GWTG – RURAL STROKE

GWTG – RESUSCITATION :

Gold Achievement

Achievement

GWTG – AFIB:

Achievement

Achievement

GWTG – CAD STEMI RECEIVING:

B Gold Plus Receiving A Gold Receiving

D Silver Plus Receiving

C Silver Receiving

Chestnut Hill Hospital, Philadelphia

Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center, Johnstown

Crozer Health- Crozer-Chester Medical Center, Upland

Doylestown Hospital, Doylestown

Einstein Medical Center - Philadelphia, Philadelphia

Einstein Medical Center Montgomery, East Norriton

Evangelical Community Hospital, Lewisburg

Forbes Hospital, Monroeville

Geisinger Community Medical Center, Scranton

Geisinger Jersey Shore Hospital, Jersey Shore

Geisinger Lewistown Hospital, Lewistown

Geisinger Medical Center Muncy, Muncy

Geisinger Medical Center, Danville ..................................

Geisinger St. Luke’s Hospital, Orwigsburg

Geisinger Wyoming Valley, Wilkes Barre .............................................

Grand View Health, Sellersville

Grove City Medical Center, Grove City

Heritage Valley Beaver, Beaver

Heritage Valley Sewickley, Sewickley

Holy Redeemer Hospital, Meadowbrook

Independence Health Frick Hospital, Mount Pleasant

Independence Health Latrobe, Latrobe

Independence Health Westmoreland Hospital, Greensburg

Jeanes Hospital - Temple University Health System, Philadelphia

Jefferson Abington Hospital, Abington

Jefferson Hospital, Clairton

Jefferson Methodist Hospital, Philadelphia

Jefferson Northeast, Philadelphia ......................................................

Lankenau Medical Center, Wynnewood

Lehigh Valley Health Network Cedar Crest, Allentown

Lehigh Valley Health Network Muhlenberg, Bethlehem

Lehigh Valley Hospital- Hazleton, Hazleton................................

Lehigh Valley Hospital - Schuylkill, Pottsville

Lehigh Valley Pocono, East Stroudsburg

Lower Bucks Hospital, Bristol

LVH Hecktown Oaks, Easton

Meadville Medical Center, Meadville

Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital, Darby

Monongahela Valley Hospital, Monongahela

Mount Nittany Medical Center, State College

Nazareth Hospital, Philadelphia

Paoli Hospital, Paoli

Penn Highlands DuBois, DuBois..................................................................

Penn Medicine Lancaster General Hospital, Lancaster

Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, Philadelphia

Penn State Health Hampden Medical Center, Enola

Penn State Health Holy Spirit Medical Center, Camp Hill

Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey

Penn State Health St. Joseph Medical Center, Reading

Penn State Lancaster Medical Center, Lancaster

Pennsylvania Hospital, Philadelphia

Phoenixville Hospital, Phoenixville

Pottstown Hospital, Pottstown

Reading Hospital-Tower Health, West Reading

Regional Hospital of Scranton, Scranton

Riddle Hospital, Media

Robert Packer Hospital, Sayre ...........................................................

Roxborough Memorial Hospital, Philadelphia

Saint Vincent Health System, Erie

GWTG – CAD STEMI REFERRING:

B Gold Plus Referring

A Gold Referring

D Silver Plus Referring

St. Clair Health, Pittsburgh

St. Luke’s Allentown Campus, Allentown ...............................................

St. Luke’s Carbon Campus, Lehighton

St. Luke’s Hospital - Anderson Campus, Easton ...................................

St. Luke’s Hospital – Easton Campus, Easton

St. Luke’s Hospital-Miners Campus, Coaldale

St. Luke’s Hospital Quakertown Campus, Quakertown

St. Luke’s Hospital Sacred Heart, Allentown

St. Luke’s Monroe Campus, Stroudsburg

St. Luke’s University Hospital, Bethlehem

St. Mary Medical Center, Langhorne

Steward Sharon Regional Medical Center, Sharon

Suburban Community Hospital, Norristown

Temple University Hospital, Philadelphia

The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia ......................................

The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.........................................................

Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia

UPMC Altoona, Altoona......................................................................

UPMC Carlisle, Carlisle

UPMC Hamot, Erie

UPMC Lock Haven, Lock Haven

UPMC Mercy Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh

UPMC Muncy, Muncy

UPMC Northwest, Seneca

UPMC Pinnacle Hanover Hospital, Hanover

UPMC Pinnacle Hospitals - Harrisburg, Community General & Carlisle, Harrisburg

UPMC Pinnacle Lititz Hospital, Lititz

UPMC Pinnacle Memorial Hospital, York ..............................................

UPMC Presbyterian, Pittsburgh

UPMC Shadyside, Pittsburgh .......................................................................

UPMC Somerset, Somerset

UPMC Wellsboro, Wellsboro .............................................................................

UPMC Williamsport, Williamsport

Washington Health System, Washington

Wayne Memorial Hospital, Honesdale

WellSpan Chambersburg Hospital, Chambersburg

Wellspan Ephrata Community Hospital, Ephrata

WellSpan Gettysburg Hospital, Gettysburg

WellSpan Good Samaritan Hospital, Lebanon

WellSpan Health - York Hospital, York

WellSpan Waynesboro Hospital, Waynesboro

West Penn Hospital, Pittsburgh

Wilkes Barre General Hospital, Wilkes Barre...........................................

WVU Medicine Uniontown Hospital, Uniontown

RHODE ISLAND

Hospital, Westerly

SOUTH CAROLINA

Aiken Regional Medical Center, Aiken

TARGET: AORTIC STENOSIS, HEART FAILURE, STROKE AND TYPE 2 DIABETES :

K Target: Aortic StenosisTM Honor Roll

L Silver Achievement

C Silver Referring GWTG – RURAL CAD: NSTE_ACS AND STEMI M Silver Achievement

GWTG – CAD NSTEMI: A Gold C Silver

G Target: Heart FailureTM Honor Roll

F Target: StrokeTM Honor Roll Elite Plus

E Target: StrokeTM Honor Roll Elite G

J

StrokeTM Honor Roll Advanced Therapy

I Target: Type 2 DiabetesTM Honor Roll

(SOUTH CAROLINA CONTINUED)

AnMed, Anderson

Beaufort Memorial Hospital, Beaufort

Bon Secours St. Francis-Downtown, Greenville

Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital, Charleston

Carolina Pines Regional Medical Center, Hartsville

Cherokee Medical Center, Gaffney ................................................

Coastal Carolina Hospital, Hardeeville

Conway Medical Center, Conway ...........................................................

Hampton Regional Medical Center, Varnville

Hilton Head Hospital, Hilton Head

Lexington Medical Center, West Columbia

McLeod Health Loris, Loris

McLeod Health Seacoast, Little River

McLeod Regional Medical Center, Florence

Mount Pleasant Hospital, Mount Pleasant

MUSC Health - Lancaster Medical Center, Lancaster

MUSC Health, Charleston

MUSC-Orangeburg, Orangeburg

Pelham Medical Center, Greer

Piedmont Medical Center, Rock Hill

Prisma Health Baptist Easley Hospital, Easley......................................

Prisma Health Baptist Hospital, Columbia

Prisma Health Baptist Parkridge Hospital, Columbia ......................................

Prisma Health Greenville Memorial Hospital, Greenville

Prisma Health Greer Memorial Hospital, Greer ....................................

Prisma Health Hillcrest Hospital, Simpsonville

Prisma Health Laurens County Hospital, Clinton

Prisma Health Oconee Memorial Hospital, Seneca

Prisma Health Richland Hospital, Columbia

Prisma Health Tuomey Hospital, Sumter

Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, Charleston

Roper Hospital, Charleston

Roper St. Francis Berkeley Hospital, Summerville

Self Regional Healthcare, Greenwood

Spartanburg Medical Center - Mary Black Campus, Spartanburg

Spartanburg Regional Medical Center - Church Street Campus, Spartanburg

Summerville Medical Center, Summerville.............................................

Tidelands Georgetown Memorial Hospital, Georgetown

Tidelands Waccamaw Community Hospital, Murrells Inlet

Trident Medical Center, North Charleston

Union Medical Center, Union

SOUTH DAKOTA

Avera McKennan, Sioux Falls

Monument Health Rapid City Hospital, Rapid City

Sanford USD Medical Center, Sioux Falls

TENNESSEE

Baptist Memorial Hospital-Carroll County, Huntingdon

Baptist Memorial Hospital Memphis, Memphis

Blount Memorial Hospital, Maryville

Bristol Regional Medical Center, Bristol

CHI Memorial Hospital Chattanooga, Chattanooga

Childrens Hospital at Erlanger, Chattanooga

Cookeville Regional Medical Center, Cookeville

Cumberland Medical Center, Crossville

GWTG – STROKE:

Erlanger Baroness Hospital, Chattanooga

Erlanger East Hospital, Chattanooga

Fort Loudoun Medical Center, Lenoir City

Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center, Knoxville

Hawkins County Memorial Hospital, Rogersville

Holston Valley Medical Center, Kingsport

Jackson-Madison County General Hospital, Jackson

LeConte Medical Center, Sevierville .......................................................

Maury Regional Medical Center, Columbia

Methodist Germantown Hospital, Germantown.....................................

Methodist Medical Center, Oak Ridge

Methodist North Hospital, Memphis ......................................................

Methodist South Hospital, Memphis

Methodist University Hospital, Memphis

Morristown-Hamblen Healthcare System, Morristown

Newport Medical Center, Newport

North Knoxville Medical Center, Powell

NorthCrest Medical Center, Springfield

Parkridge East Hospital, Chattanooga

Parkridge Medical Center, Chattanooga

Parkwest Medical Center, Knoxville

Roane Medical Center, Harriman

Francis Hospital, Memphis...........................................................

Saint Thomas Midtown Hospital, Nashville

Saint Thomas Rutherford Hospital, Murfreesboro ................................

Saint Thomas West Hospital, Nashville

TriStar Hendersonville Medical Center, Hendersonville

TriStar Horizon Medical Center, Dickson

TriStar Skyline Medical Center, Nashville

TriStar Southern Hills Medical Center, Nashville

TriStar Stonecrest Medical Center, Smyrna

TriStar Summit Medical Center, Hermitage

Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville

Wilson County Hospital, Lebanon .............................................

TEXAS

Providence, Waco

Seton Hays, Kyle

Seton Medical Center Austin, Austin

Seton Williamson, Round Rock

Hospitals of Southeast Texas, Beaumont

Baptist Medical Center, San Antonio

Baylor Scott & White - The Heart Hospital Baylor Denton, Denton

Baylor Scott & White The Heart Hospital - Plano, Plano

Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center - Fort Worth, Fort Worth

Baylor Scott & White Heart and Vascular Hospital - Dallas, Dallas

Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Brenham, Brenham

Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Centennial, Frisco

Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - College Station, College Station

Scott & White Medical Center - Grapevine, Grapevine

Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Hillcrest, Waco

Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Irving, Irving

GWTG – HEART FAILURE:

Gold Achievement D Silver Plus Achievement C Silver Achievement

GWTG – RURAL STROKE

GWTG – RESUSCITATION :

Gold Achievement

Silver Achievement

GWTG – AFIB:

Gold Achievement C Silver Achievement

GWTG – CAD STEMI RECEIVING:

B Gold Plus Receiving A Gold Receiving

D Silver Plus Receiving

C Silver Receiving

Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Lake Pointe, Rowlett C

Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Lakeway, Lakeway D B I

Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Marble Falls, Marble Falls BL EI

Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - McKinney, McKinney B B EI

Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Pflugerville, Pflugerville B I

Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Plano, Plano B

Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Round Rock, Round Rock B B EI

Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Taylor, Taylor L

Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Temple, Temple B

Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Waxahachie, Waxahachie ......... B EI

Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center, Houston B F J I

Baylor University Medical Center - Dallas, Dallas ....................................

Ben Taub Hospital, Houston

BSA Health System, Amarillo ......................................................................

Carrollton Regional Medical Center, Carrollton

Cedar Park Regional Medical Center, Cedar Park

CHI St Luke’s Health Brazosport, Lake Jackson

Children’s Medical Center Dallas, Dallas

CHRISTUS Good Shepherd Health System - Longview, Longview

CHRISTUS Good Shepherd Health System-Marshall, Marshall

CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital - Sulphur Springs, Sulphur Springs

CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital-Tyler, Tyler

Christus Mother Frances Winnsboro, Winnsboro

CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health, San Antonio ..........................................

CHRISTUS Southeast Texas Health System-St. Elizabeth, Beaumont

CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital - Alice, Alice .........................................................

CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital - Beeville, Beeville

CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital - Kleberg, Kingsville .............................................

CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital Corpus Christi - Shoreline, Corpus Christi

Christus Spohn Hospital Corpus Christi - South, Corpus Christi

CHRISTUS St. Michael Health System, Texarkana

CHRISTUS St. Michael Hospital - Atlanta, Atlanta

Citizens Medical Center, Victoria

Coleman County Medical Center, Coleman

Covenant Medical Center, Lubbock

Cuero Regional Hospital, Cuero

Dallas Medical Center, Dallas

Dallas Regional Medical Center, Mesquite

Del Sol Medical Center, El Paso .............................................................

Dell Children’s Medical Center, Austin

Dell Seton Medical Center at The University of Texas, Austin

DeTar Healthcare System, Victoria

Doctors Hospital at Renaissance, Edinburg ................................

Doctors Hospital of Laredo, Laredo

Harlingen Medical Center, Harlingen

HCA Houston Healthcare - Clear Lake, Webster

HCA Houston Healthcare - Conroe, Conroe

HCA Houston Healthcare - Kingwood, Kingwood

HCA Houston Healthcare - Medical Center (Park Plaza), Houston

HCA Houston Healthcare - Northwest, Houston

HCA Houston Healthcare - Pearland, Pearland

HCA Houston Healthcare - Southeast, Pasadena

HCA Houston Healthcare - West, Houston

HCA Houston Healthcare Tomball, Tomball ......................................

Hendrick Medical Center South, Abilene

Hendrick Medical Center, Abilene ............................................

Houston Methodist Baytown Hospital, Baytown

Houston Methodist Clear Lake Hosptial, Nassau Bay............................

Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston

GWTG – CAD

STEMI REFERRING:

B Gold Plus Referring

A Gold Referring

D Silver Plus Referring

C Silver Referring

GWTG – RURAL CAD: NSTE_ACS AND STEMI

M Silver Achievement

L Silver Achievement

GWTG – CAD NSTEMI: A Gold C Silver

Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital, Sugar Land

Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital, The Woodlands

Houston Methodist West Hospital, Houston

Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital, Houston

Hunt Regional Healthcare, Greenville

Huntsville Memorial Hospital, Huntsville .........................................................

JPS Health Network, Fort Worth

Knapp Medical Center, Weslaco .............................................................

Las Palmas Medical Center, El Paso

Lyndon B Johnson Hospital, Houston ......................................

Medical Center Hospital, Odessa

Medical City Children’s Hospital Dallas, Dallas

Medical City Decatur, Decatur

Medical City Plano, Plano

Memorial Hermann - Texas Medical Center, Houston

Memorial Hermann Cypress Hospital, Cypress

Memorial Hermann Greater Heights Hospital, Houston

Memorial Hermann Katy Hospital, Katy

Memorial Hermann Memorial City Medical Center, Houston

Memorial Hermann Northeast Hospital, Humble

Memorial Hermann Pearland Hospital, Pearland.......................................

Memorial Hermann Southwest Hospital, Houston

Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Hospital, Sugar Land ..........................

Memorial Hermann The Woodlands, The Woodlands

Memorial Medical Center, Port Lavaca .............................................................

Methodist Charlton Medical Center, Dallas

Methodist Dallas Medical Center, Dallas

Methodist Hospital | Metropolitan, San Antonio

Methodist Hospital | Northeast, San Antonio

Methodist Hospital | Stone Oak, San Antonio

Methodist Hospital, San Antonio

Methodist Mansfield Medical Center, Mansfield

Methodist Richardson Medical Center, Richardson

Midland Memorial Hospital, Midland

Medical Center, Mission

Navarro Regional Hospital, Corsicana ..............................................................

Northwest Texas Healthcare System, Amarillo

Pampa Regional Medical Center, Pampa ...................................................

Parkland Health & Hospital System, Dallas

Peterson Health, Kerrville .................................................................................

Rio Grande Regional Hospital, McAllen

Rolling Plains Memorial Hospital, Sweetwater

Seton Medical Center Harker Heights, Harker Heights

Shannon Medical Center, San Angelo

South Texas Health System McAllen Medical Center, McAllen

St Luke’s Health-Memorial Lufkin, Lufkin

St. David’s Georgetown Hospital, Georgetown

St. David’s Medical Center, Austin

St. David’s North Austin Medical Center, Austin

St. David’s Round Rock Medical Center, Round Rock

St. David’s South Austin Medical Center, Austin

St. Joseph Health College Station Hospital, College Station

St. Joseph Health Regional Hospital, Bryan .................................

St. Joseph Medical Center, Houston

St. Luke’s Health – The Woodlands Hospital, The Woodlands

Texas Health Allen, Allen

Texas Health Alliance, Fort Worth

Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital, Arlington

Texas Health Cleburne, Cleburne

TARGET: AORTIC STENOSIS, HEART FAILURE, STROKE AND TYPE 2 DIABETES :

K Target: Aortic StenosisTM Honor Roll

G Target: Heart FailureTM Honor Roll

F Target: StrokeTM Honor Roll Elite Plus

E Target: StrokeTM Honor Roll Elite

G Target: StrokeTM Honor Roll

J Target: StrokeTM Honor Roll Advanced Therapy

I Target: Type 2 DiabetesTM Honor Roll

Texas Health Dallas, Dallas

Texas Health Denton, Denton

Texas Health Fort Worth, Fort Worth

Texas Health Frisco, Frisco

Texas Health Heart & Vascular, Arlington

Texas Health HEB, Bedford ............................................................

Texas Health Hospital Mansfield, Mansfield

Texas Health Huguley Hospital Fort Worth South, Burleson ............

Texas Health Plano, Plano

Texas Health Presbyterian Flower Mound, Flower Mound

Texas Health Southwest Fort Worth, Fort Worth

Texas Health Stephenville, Stephenville

Texoma Medical Center, Denison

The Hospitals of Providence East Campus, El Paso

The Hospitals of Providence Transmountain Campus, El Paso

Titus Regional Medical Center, Mt Pleasant

United Regional Healthcare System, Wichita Falls

University Hospital, San Antonio

University Medical Center of El Paso, El Paso

UT Health East Texas, Tyler

UT Health Henderson, Henderson ....................................................................

UT Health Jacksonville, Jacksonville

UT Health Quitman, Quitman ............................................................................

UTMB Health, Galveston

UTSouthwestern Medical Center, Dallas ............................

Valley Baptist Medical Center-Brownsville, Brownsville

Valley Baptist Medical Center-Harlingen, Harlingen

Valley Regional Medical Center, Brownsville

Wadley Regional Medical Center, Texarkana

White Rock Medical Center, Dallas

Woodland Heights Medical Center, Lufkin

Yoakum Community Hospital, Yoakum

UTAH

Central Valley Medical Center, Nephi

CommonSpirit Holy Cross Hospital Davis, Layton

CommonSpirit Holy Cross Hospital Jordan Valley West, West Valley City

CommonSpirit Holy Cross Hospital Jordan Valley, West Jordan

CommonSpirit Holy Cross Hospital Mountain Point, Lehi

Intermountain Alta View Hospital, Sandy

Intermountain McKay-Dee Hospital, Ogden

Intermountain Medical Center, Murray ..............................................

Intermountain Riverton Hospital, Riverton

Intermountain St. George Regional Hospital, Saint George

Intermountain Utah Valley Hospital, Provo

Lakeview Hospital, Bountiful

Ogden Regional Medical Center, Ogden

St. Mark’s Hospital, Salt Lake City

Timpanogos Regional Hospital, Orem

of Utah

Salt Lake City

Vermont Medical Center, Berlin

Bon Secours Maryview Medical Center, Portsmouth

Bon Secours Memorial Regional Medical Center, Mechanicsville

Bon Secours Rappahannock General Hospital, Kilmarnock

Bon Secours Richmond Community Hospital, Richmond

Bon Secours St. Francis Medical Center, Midlothian

Bon Secours St. Mary’s Hospital, Richmond

Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital, Roanoke

Centra Lynchburg General Hospital, Lynchburg

Chesapeake Regional Medical Center, Chesapeake

Fauquier Hospital, Warrenton

HCA Johnston-Willis Hospital, Richmond

Inova Alexandria Hospital, Alexandria

Inova Fair Oaks Hospital, Fairfax ............................................................

Inova Fairfax Hospital, Falls Church

Inova Loudoun Hospital, Leesburg .........................................................

Inova Mount Vernon Hospital, Alexandria

Mary Washington Hospital, Fredericksburg

Riverside Regional Medical Center, Newport News

Riverside Shore Memorial Hospital, Onancock

Riverside Walter Reed Hospital, Gloucester

Sentara CarePlex Hospital, Hampton

Sentara Halifax Regional Hospital, South Boston

Sentara Leigh Hospital, Norfolk

Sentara Louise Obici Memorial Hospital, Suffolk

Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital, Charlottesville

Sentara Norfolk General Hospital/Sentara Heart Hospital, Chesapeake

Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center, Woodbridge ....................

Sentara Princess Anne Hospital, Virginia Beach

Sentara RMH Medical Center, Harrisonburg .................................

Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital, Virginia Beach

Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center, Williamsburg .............

Southside Regional Medical Center, Petersburg

Stafford Hospital, Stafford

StoneSprings Hospital Center, Dulles

Twin County Regional Healthcare, Galax

University of Virginia Medical Center, Charlottesville

UVA Haymarket Medical Center, Haymarket

UVA Prince William Medical Center, Manassas

VCU Community Memorial Hospital, South Hill

Virginia Hospital Center, Arlington

WASHINGTON

Columbia County Health System, Dayton

Confluence Health-Central Washington Hospital, Wenatchee

EvergreenHealth Medical Center, Kirkland

EvergreenHealth Monroe, Monroe

Harbor Regional Health Community Hospital, Aberdeen

Harborview Medical Center, Seattle

Jefferson Healthcare, Port Townsend

Kadlec Regional Medical Center, Richland

Kittitas Valley Healthcare, Ellensburg

Legacy Salmon Creek Medical Center, Vancouver

MultiCare Allenmore Hospital, Tacoma

MultiCare Auburn Medical Center, Auburn

MultiCare Covington Medical Center, Covington

MultiCare Deaconess Hospital, Spokane

GWTG – RURAL STROKE :

GWTG –

GWTG – AFIB: A Gold Achievement C Silver Achievement

GWTG – CAD STEMI RECEIVING:

B Gold Plus Receiving A Gold Receiving

D Silver Plus Receiving

C Silver Receiving

MultiCare Good Samaritan Hospital, Puyallup

MultiCare Tacoma General Hospital, Tacoma ...................................

MultiCare Yakima Memorial, Yakima

Newport Hospital and Health Services, Newport ............................................

Ocean Beach Hospital, Ilwaco

Overlake Medical Center & Clinics, Bellevue

PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center, Vancouver

PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center, Longview

PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center, Bellingham

PeaceHealth United General Medical Center, Sedro Woolley

Providence Centralia Hospital, Centralia

Providence Holy Family Hospital, Spokane

Providence Regional Medical Center Everett, Everett

Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center & Children’s Hospital, Spokane ...........................................................................................

Providence St. Peter Hospital, Olympia

Saint Anne Hospital, Burien ....................................................................

Saint Anthony Hospital, Gig Harbor

Saint Clare Hospital, Lakewood....................................................................

Saint Joseph Medical Center, Tacoma

Saint Michael Medical Center, Silverdale

Seattle Children’s Hospital, Seattle

St. Elizabeth Hospital, Enumclaw

St. Francis Hospital, Federal Way

Swedish Medical Center - Cherry Hill Campus, Seattle

Swedish Medical Center - Edmonds, Edmonds

Swedish Medical Center - First Hill Campus, Seattle

Swedish Medical Center - Issaquah Campus, Issaquah

Three Rivers Hospital, Brewster

TriState Health, Clarkston.............................................................................

University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle

UW Medicine | Valley Medical Center, Renton .....................................

VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle Campus, Seattle

Virginia Mason Medical Center - Seattle, Seattle ....................

Whitman Hospital & Medical Clinics, Colfax

WEST VIRGINIA

Beckley ARH Hospital, Beckley

Berkeley Medical Center, Martinsburg

Cabell Huntington Hospital, Huntington

CAMC General Hospital, Charleston

Camden Clark Medical Center, Parkersburg

Davis Medical Center, Elkins

Mon Health Medical Center, Morgantown

Preston Memorial Hospital, Kingwood

Raleigh General Hospital, Beckley

St. Mary’s Medical Center, Huntington

Stonewall Jackson Memorial Hospital, Weston

Summersville Regional Medical Center, Summersville

United Hospital Center, Bridgeport

Wheeling Hospital, Wheeling

WVU Medicine’s J. W. Ruby Memorial Hospital, Morgantown

WVU Medicine - St. Joseph’s Hospital, Buckhannon .......................................

WISCONSIN

All Saints Hospital, Racine

Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital Milwaukee, Milwaukee

Franklin Hospital, Franklin

GWTG – CAD

STEMI REFERRING:

B Gold Plus Referring

A Gold Referring

D Silver Plus Referring

C Silver Referring

GWTG – RURAL CAD: NSTE_ACS AND STEMI

M Silver Achievement

L Silver Achievement

GWTG – CAD NSTEMI:

A Gold

C Silver

Ascension NE Wisconsin- St. Elizabeth Campus, Appleton

Ascension SE Wisconsin Hospital - Elmbrook Campus, Brookfield

Ascension St. Francis Hospital, Milwaukee

Aspirus Langlade Hospital, Antigo .........................................................

Aspirus Medford Hospital and Clinics, Medford

Aspirus Wausau Hospital, Wausau

Aurora BayCare Medical Center, Green Bay

Aurora Lakeland Medical Center, Elkhorn

Aurora Medical Center - Grafton, Grafton

Aurora Medical Center - Kenosha, Kenosha

Aurora Medical Center- Oshkosh, Oshkosh

Aurora Medical Center Bay Area, Marinette

Aurora Medical Center Burlington, Burlington

Aurora Medical Center Manitowoc County, Two Rivers

Aurora Medical Center Sheboygan County, Sheboygan ....................

Aurora Medical Center Summit, Summit

Aurora Medical Center Washington County, Hartford ..........................

Aurora Mount Pleasant Medical Center, Mount Pleasant

Aurora Sinai Medical Center, Milwaukee ............................................

Aurora St. Luke’s Medical Center, Milwaukee

Aurora St. Luke’s South Shore, Cudahy

Aurora West Allis Medical Center, West Allis

Bellin Health Oconto Hospital, Oconto

Bellin Memorial Hospital, Green Bay

Beloit Memorial Hospital, Beloit

Berlin Memorial Hospital, Berlin

Froedtert Hospital, Milwaukee

Froedtert Menomonee Falls Hospital, Menomonee Falls

Froedtert Pleasant Prairie Hospital, Pleasant Prairie

Froedtert West Bend Hospital, West Bend ....................................

Gundersen Boscobel Area Hospital and Clinics, Boscobel

Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center, La Crosse ........................................

Gundersen Moundview Hospital & Clinics, Friendship

HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital, Oconto Falls ........................................

Marshfield Medical Center, Marshfield

Mayo Clinic Health System- Eau Claire, Eau Claire

Mayo Clinic Health System - La Crosse, La Crosse

Mercy Health Hospital and Medical Center Walworth, Lake Geneva

Prairie Ridge Health, Columbus

ProHealth Care, Oconomowoc Memorial Hospital, Oconomowoc

ProHealth Care, Waukesha Memorial Hospital, Waukesha

Richland Hospital, Richland Center

River Falls Area Hospital, River Falls

SSM Health St. Clare Hospital, Baraboo .....................................................

SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital - Madison, Madison

SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital – Janesville, Janesville ......................

St. Agnes Hospital, Fond Du Lac

Stoughton Hospital, Stoughton.........................................................................

Theda Care Medical Center- New London, New London

ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Neenah, Neenah

University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics, Madison

UPH Meriter Hospital, Madison

Upland Hills Health, Dodgeville

UW Health East Madison Hospital, Madison

WYOMING

Banner Wyoming Medical Center, Casper .......................................

Cheyenne Regional Medical Center, Cheyenne

Star Valley Health, Afton

TARGET: AORTIC STENOSIS, HEART FAILURE, STROKE AND TYPE 2 DIABETES :

K Target: Aortic StenosisTM Honor Roll

G Target: Heart FailureTM Honor Roll

F Target: StrokeTM Honor Roll Elite Plus

E Target: StrokeTM Honor Roll Elite

G Target: StrokeTM Honor Roll

J Target: StrokeTM Honor Roll Advanced Therapy

I Target: Type 2 DiabetesTM Honor Roll

We Need More Diversity in the Doctor’s Office

Connecting patients with providers who look like them and feel culturally relatable will lead to better health outcomes for all.

by Jay Feldstein, DO, president and CEO of Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM)

PICTURE THIS: Two dozen men have gathered in a classroom in rural south Georgia to get their hair shaped and talk about life. The barbers are the main attraction, but the get-together is organized by medical students – specifically Black medical students – as a way to reach people who might not otherwise see a doctor. Together, they talk about emotional health and fatherhood, and amid the buzz of electric clippers, they check blood pressure. Nearly everyone in the room is hypertensive.

This real-life scenario illustrates a broader challenge within America’s health care system: We need more Black doctors—both to serve Black patients and to increase diversity in the medical field. And the high rate of high blood pressure in this southern Georgia classroom is far from an anomaly—it showcases the increased health risks faced by Black men (and women) in the United States.

Yes, Georgia is in the heart of the “Stroke Belt,” where stroke mortality rates are highest in the nation. However, we have similar results at our health care centers in Philadelphia, with comparable stroke mortality and significantly elevated hypertension rates among Black residents.

And health disparities transcend geography and socioeconomic status. In the spring of 2023, Olympic gold medalist Tori Bowie tragically passed away at only 32 years old due to complications from pregnancy. Tori’s death is not an isolated occurrence, and it would be a disservice if we treated it as such. Black women have the highest maternal mortality rate of any demographic in the U.S. and are three times more likely to die from pregnancy complications compared to white women.

Across nearly every metric – from hypertension and stroke deaths to pregnancy complications and maternal mortality –Black patients have poorer outcomes compared to their white peers. Which begs the question: why?

Representation Matters

There is no single answer, but the shortage of Black physicians in this country is almost certainly a contributing factor. Only 5.7% of U.S. doctors are Black, while the overall Black population in the U.S. is at least 13.6%. Hispanic/Latino and Indigenous doctors are also chronically underrepresented. Only 6.9% of physicians in this country are Hispanic despite making up 19.1% of the country, while 0.3% of doctors are American Indian or Alaska Native, even though they account for 1.3% of the U.S. population.

Professional representation is important in its own right, but the lack of diversity in medicine also has drastic implications for patient care and population health. For example, 1 in 5 Black Americans say they have experienced discrimination in health care settings, and 70% believe that our healthcare system treats people differently based on race and ethnicity. Take menopause: A 2022 study found despite having more severe hot flashes and depression than white women, Black women are less likely to be prescribed treatment for their symptoms. Across multiple studies, we see Black patients receive better care when treated by Black physicians. The effects are so significant that Black life expectancy improves in counties with more Black primary care physicians, and Black patients are more likely to receive preventative care when they are treated by Black physicians.

Encouraging Diversity

Health disparities are complex, involving multitudes of public policy and socio-environmental factors. There is no single (or simple) solution. But there are steps we can take in medical education to support positive outcomes.

First, we must fight discrimination and build understanding across groups throughout the healthcare industry. All clinicians should also be culturally competent in our practice and mindful of implicit biases to avoid inadvertently contributing to the problem. It’s unfair to suggest that Black doctors and other BIPOC providers must solve racism and racial disparities alone.

That said, training more Black doctors will benefit everyone, regardless of race. Minority physicians are more likely to practice in primary care, research shows, where there is enormous need, and also to work in underserved communities.

For higher education, we must encourage underrepresented students to begin exploring medical careers even before college. Additionally, we should ensure that medical school applicants from disadvantaged backgrounds have a fair shot in the admissions process. By engaging early and throughout the educational journey, we can help students gain experience and build strong application packages.

Then, through a truly holistic review of applicants, we’ll be able to see beyond test scores and admit intelligent, empathetic students who embrace our mission. After all, mastering the MCAT can require time and resources that aren’t equally available to all students, and even the American Medical Association acknowledges that excellent test

performance “doesn’t mean you’ll become a great, or even a good, doctor.”

Furthermore, we need programs that support underrepresented students once they are enrolled in medical school or other advanced health education programs. Black students and those from marginalized backgrounds may be two to three times more likely to drop out of medical school on account of financial constraints and under-resourced backgrounds, and even as a result of bias or lack of diversity in the field. But this is preventable with smart interventions, supportive learning environments and diverse faculty to act as mentors.

Although the challenge is daunting and the stakes are high, there are reasons to be hopeful. Medical students generally cite a desire to help as a top motivator in their decision to study medicine, and internal data shows that more students are citing our mission – caring for the whole person and making a commitment to diverse communities – as a primary factor in their school selection.

Our country’s health care system needs more of this: more empathy in addition to increased diversity. Because all of us – patients, health care providers and aspiring medical school students alike – stand to benefit. l

Preparing for the Changing Face of Cancer Preparing for the Changing Face of Cancer

Cancer

mortality in the U.S. has fallen over the past three decades, but with cancer in younger people on the rise, the need for cutting-edge treatments and earlier screenings is vital.

by Steven Ross Johnson and Brianna Navarre ©

THE STATE OF CANCER in the United States is complicated. Cutting-edge cancer therapies such as precision medicine are more advanced than ever, and reports show that cancer mortality rates are trending downwards—all positive news.

However, there’s also been a concerning spike in cancer diagnoses in people under age 50. And providers worry about missed screenings and delayed preventive care as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, not to mention persistent health disparities based on race and social determinants of health.

The rising incidence of cancer among younger populations represents a significant shift, and underscores the need for a proactive, comprehensive response from the medical community, public health officials and policymakers. And for adults both young and old, the importance of preventative measures, including screenings and lifestyle changes, can’t be overstated.

Read on to learn more about the current trends in cancer, how we can better address the unique challenges faced by younger cancer patients and the preventative strategies that people of all ages should be aware of.

HANNAH PERRY FOR USN&WR

ON MEDICINE’S FRONT LINES

Digging into the Data

In the United States, the rate of death from cancer continues to decline for both men and women across all races and ethnic groups, shows a January 2024 report from the American Cancer Society. The study found that the country’s cancer mortality rate fell by 33% from 1991 through 2021. That decrease equates to an estimated 4.1 million fewer cancer deaths, which researchers attribute to improvements in disease management and detection, along with reductions in smoking.

comes with a shift in age patterns among cancer patients. “We’re encouraged by the steady drop in cancer mortality as a result of less smoking, earlier detection for some cancers and improved treatment,” said Rebecca Siegel, the report’s lead author and senior scientific director of surveillance research for the American Cancer Society, in a January 2024 American Cancer Society statement. “But as a nation, we’ve dropped the ball on cancer prevention as incidence continues to increase for many common cancers, like breast, prostate and endometrial, as well as colorectal and cervical cancers in some young adults.”

The Race Gap

Racial disparities present additional barriers to progress. From 2016 to 2020, cancer incidence was highest among Black men. In fact, it was 79% higher than the rate for Asian American men (who had the lowest rate among groups studied).

But this data leaves no room for the medical field—or anybody, for that matter—to let their guard down: The research shows that there are increases in some common forms of cancer, which could hurt these improvements in mortality rate.

The report notes the incidence rate for female breast cancer, for example, has risen by about 0.6% per year since the mid-2000s, and more than 313,000 new breast cancer cases overall are projected for 2024. Meanwhile, prostate cancer incidence increased by about 3% per year after experiencing a nearly 40% drop from 2007 to 2014.

Overall, in 2024 the number of new cancer cases in the United States is expected to top two million for the first time—and that increase

The American Cancer Society report found that this was largely driven by an extraordinarily higher incidence of prostate cancer in Black men, with rates 68% higher than White men, two times higher than American Indian, Alaska Native and Hispanic men and three times higher than Asian American and Pacific Islander men.

“Racial disparities in cancer occurrence and outcomes are largely the result of structural racism, resulting in longstanding inequalities in wealth that lead to differences in exposure to risk factors and access to high-quality cancer prevention, early detection and treatment,” the report says.

Lisa Lacasse, president of the American Cancer Society’s advocacy affiliate, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, said the report’s findings highlight a need for policies that help to address such disparities.

“We urge lawmakers at all levels of government to advance policies that ensure more people have health insurance coverage as well as improved access to and affordability of care, such as increased funding for cancer research and screening programs,” Lacasse said in a January 2024 statement. “Doing so will bring us closer to our vision of ending cancer as we know it, for everyone.

A Change in Demographic

Cancer has long been considered a disease that primarily affects older adults, but this is beginning to change. And despite leaps and bounds in medicine, many clinicians remain concerned about the prevalence of certain cancers in younger people.

Across the globe, cancer rates among people under 50 are climbing, continuing a decades-long upward trend – and the United States is no exception. The American Cancer Society report found that the proportion of new diagnoses in people between the ages of 50 and 64 years old increased from 25% in 1995 to 30% in 2019 through 2020. Meanwhile, the proportion among those 65 and older fell from 61% to 58%, which likely in part reflects steep decreases in incidence of prostate and smoking-related cancers among older men.

This under 50 age group was the only one of the three to see overall can-

cer incidence rise from 1995 to 2020 – a trend that occurred as colorectal cancer became the leading cause of cancer death in men and the second-leading cause among women, after ranking fourth two decades ago.

Experts say that this shift toward more middle-aged patients is likely due to a number of factors. These include environmental factors (such as exposure to pollutants, carcinogens and endocrine-disrupting chemicals), increased rates of obesity, diets high in processed foods and a more sedentary lifestyle.

A Focus on Prevention

This increase in cancer in a younger population begs the question: Do we need to start preventive screenings earlier? The answer is, in some cases, yes—and that change is already in motion. Both the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force and the American Cancer Society lowered their recommended age for colorectal cancer screenings from 50 to 45 years old. Similarly, in April 2024, the task force began recommending women receive regular mammograms starting at age 40 rather than 50 – and every other year thereafter.

While the health care community is encouraging more people to consider cancer screenings at younger ages, medical providers must also make a greater effort to innovate and prepare for the future of cancer. Early detection “gives you more options and it really can save your life,” says Shannon Miller, a former gymnast and Olympic gold medalist.

Miller was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2011, at the age of 33. Now cancer-free, she uses her experience to boost awareness of early detection and emphasize the need to take one’s health seriously: “What the cancer journey brought back to me was the importance of listening to my body and not writing off some of the things that didn’t seem like a big deal,” she says.

Indeed, when diagnosed, younger patients often ask questions like, “How did this happen? What did I do to create this? And how can I keep my children from having the same type of experience?” says Dr. Cedrek McFadden, a colorectal surgeon and vice chair of clinical affairs in the department of surgery at Prisma Health in South Carolina.

While there’s a lot of conversation around cancer causes, McFadden says he’s turned his attention to lifestyle, diet and a host of environmental factors that may be feeding into these higher risks and even incidences of cancer. Echoing Miller, he stresses the need for education on the symptoms of cancer, and for practitioners not to overlook patients’ concerns.

This has become particularly critical following the COVID-19 pandemic. While the pandemic ushered in a whirlwind of change in medicine, including the rise of telehealth and innovative vaccine development, delayed or missed screenings unsettled cancer clinicians, sparking fears of ripple effects.

Indeed, during that time, certain elective procedures such as colonoscopies and mammograms often fell to the wayside, resulting in serious delays in screening

Stay on Top of Your Screenings

Regular cancer screenings allow you to catch cancer early, when treatment is likely to work best. Use this guide to make sure you have your screenings scheduled in your calendar.*

SCREENING RECOMMENDATION

Women should get screened every other year from ages 40 to 74.

l For ages 21-29, get a Pap test every 3 years, starting at age 21.

l For ages 30-65, either: HPV test every 5 years; HPV/Pap test every 5 years; or Pap test every 3 years

l For ages 65+, talk with your provider

Start screening at age 45. Frequency depends on the type of test. For example, a colonoscopy should be conducted every 10 years (for people who do not have an increased risk of colorectal cancer) while a CT colonography should be conducted every 5 years. Talk with your provider about which test is right for you.

Annual screening for those ages 55 to 80 years who have a 30 pack-year smoking history and currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years

Men ages 55 to 69 should talk with their doctor about whether prostate screening is right for them.

The American Academy of Dermatology Association recommends regular skin self-exams and talking with a dermatologist about what screening schedule is best for your risk.

*These guidelines are for people with average risk of cancer. If you have a higher risk for a certain cancer, talk with your provider about the best screening options for you.

Colorectal cancer

Lung cancer

Prostate cancer

Skin cancer

Breast cancer

Cervical cancer

across the board for cancer, explains Dr. Matthew Weiss, executive vice chair of surgery at Northwell Health and deputy physician-in-chief and director of surgical oncology at Northwell Cancer Institute in New York.

Rather than an anticipated deluge of appointments following the reopening of medical centers, there has been somewhat of a lag in patients’ returns to the doctor’s office, furthering cancer progression, Weiss says: “There was what I will call somewhat of a stage migration, meaning patients that were presenting with cancers were sometimes presenting with later stages of disease, and it was difficult for people like us in the field to see that happening.” Even now a few years post-COVID, this “trickle-in effect,” persists as patients continue to make their way back to the doctor, McFadden notes. Creating incentives for younger people to go to their annual medical visits and take necessary preventive measures like screenings is also important. For example, insurance providers would do well to educate and encourage more people to take a proactive approach to their health care, says Thomas

But progress is being made. For example, Northwell Health serves one of the country’s most diverse communities in Queens, New York, and the system has had significant gains in enrollment for underrepresented minorities in a recent pancreatic cancer clinical trial. Weiss says active community engagement has been a key reason why; such efforts have included seeking out practitioners who speak their patients’ languages and enlisting faith-based community leaders to gain trust.

Building public trust, Gruber adds, as well as increasing physical access to care, has similarly been fundamental in the pediatric sphere. “We collaborate with a community-based organization that helps ensure [patients and families] have transportation so that they can get the care that they need,” Gruber says.

Though there’s still a ways to go, especially where financing is concerned, many experts agree that a new dawn for cancer care and diagnosis is on the horizon. In particular, personalized cancer care is on the rise. As opposed to approaches targeting specific organs, precision medicine takes into account an in-

The number of new cancer cases

the U.S. saw

every

O. Morey, senior vice president and chief actuary of Aflac U.S.

“In our own internal data, one of the things that troubled us was seeing that while our overall utilization rate for cancer screenings had rebounded to about what it was prior to the pandemic, it turns out that more older people were using the benefits but significantly fewer younger people were using them,” Morey says. “That’s a particular concern when you consider the trends in cancer for younger people.”

A Hopeful Look Forward

While the medical community may continue to see ripple effects from COVID, many patients and practitioners in the pediatric oncology realm had quite a different experience. Though the beginning of the pandemic proved difficult, Dr. Tanja Gruber, division chief of pediatric hematology, oncology, stem cell transplantation and regenerative medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine and director of the Bass Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Diseases at Stanford Medicine Children’s Health, was impressed by the field’s ability to restructure in response to pandemic challenges, such as by ensuring safety for immunocompromised patients and maintaining enrollment in clinical trials (which, Gruber notes, are “important for their outcomes”).

In fact, clinical trials have been associated with better outcomes in cancer care, both in the pediatric and adult world. Unfortunately, they have also become emblematic of the long road to equity cancer care. “It’s actually startling how few underrepresented minorities are actually enrolled in cancer clinical trials,” Weiss says.

minute in 2024

dividual’s genetics and lifestyle in helping caregivers develop an individualized plan of attack that might best eliminate their specific cancer rather than a cancer of a certain organ or type. And before too long, we might be approaching a future where patients could receive a cancer diagnosis from a simple blood test, McFadden says, which could significantly change the landscape and the willingness of patients to have screenings.

Protecting Your Health

In the face of rising cancer rates, staying educated about cancer prevention and detection is as crucial as ever – and for younger adults, it’s especially important. Knowledge can empower you to make informed decisions about your health, adopt preventive measures, and seek timely medical advice.

One of the first steps in staying informed is understanding your personal risk factors. Genetics, family history, lifestyle choices and environmental exposures all contribute to your cancer risk profile. For those with a family history of cancer, genetic counseling and testing can offer valuable insights into specific risks and guide the development of personalized prevention strategies. Recognizing and addressing these factors early on can be a powerful tool in cancer prevention.

And it’s impossible to overstate the importance of working preventative measures, such as those on the next page, into your day-to-day. A conversation with your doctor can help you better understand what to focus on. These preventative steps have been proven to help lower the risk of several types of cancers, and making them a part of your everyday life can benefit your overall well-being. l

8 Ways to Reduce Your Cancer Risk

NOT ALL CANCERS can be prevented, but certain lifestyle choices can significantly reduce the risk of cancer. Here are some proactive steps to incorporate into your daily routine that can significantly reduce your risk of cancer and enhance your overall health.

1. Eat a Balanced Diet

Eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins is essential. These foods are high in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals that support overall health and may reduce cancer risk. Aim to limit red and processed meats, which have been linked to colorectal cancer. Instead, opt for plant-based proteins and fish. Additionally, reducing the intake of sugar and refined carbohydrates can also help maintain a healthy weight, another crucial factor in cancer prevention.

2. Exercise Regularly

Regular physical activity is a cornerstone of cancer prevention. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous activity each week, combined with strength training exercises twice a week. Exercise helps maintain a healthy weight, reduces inflammation and boosts the immune system, all of which contribute to lower cancer risk.

3. Avoid Tobacco

Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of cancer and cancer deaths. Whether through smoking or chewing, tobacco significantly increases the risk of many cancers, including lung, mouth, throat, pancreas, bladder and kidney cancers. Quitting tobacco use is one of the most effective steps you can take to improve your health. Seek support

through counseling, medications or cessation programs, if needed.

4. Limit Alcohol

Alcohol is linked to an increased risk of several cancers, including breast, liver and esophageal cancers. To minimize risk, men should limit themselves to no more than two drinks per day, and women to one. If possible, consider eliminating alcohol altogether.

5. Protect Your Skin

Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer, but thankfully, it is also one of the most preventable. To reduce your risk, slather on sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher, wear protective clothing, avoid excessive sun exposure (especially during the peak hours of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) and don’t use tanning beds, which emit harmful UV radiation.

6. Get Screened

Regular screenings increase the odds of detecting cancers at an ear-

lier stage, when treatment is more effective. Talk to your healthcare provider about the appropriate screenings for your age, gender and family history. Common screenings include mammograms, colonoscopies and skin checks. See page 43 for more information.

7. Vaccinate Against Cancer-Causing Viruses

Certain viruses, such as the human papillomavirus (HPV) and hepatitis B, can cause cancer. Vaccines are available to protect against these infections. The HPV vaccine, for instance, can prevent cervical and other types of cancer, while the hepatitis B vaccine can lower the risk of liver cancer.

8. Manage Stress

Chronic stress can weaken the immune system and increase cancer risk. Practice stress management techniques like meditation, mindfulness and yoga, and aim to get seven to nine hours of sleep each night to support overall health.

To Tackle the Youth Mental Health Crisis, Empower Young Adults

Today’s youth are driving long overdue change around mental wellness, and should be encouraged to do more

by Alison Malmon, founder and executive director of Active Minds, a national youth mental health advocacy organization ©

TWENTY YEARS AGO , my parents’ and grandparents’ generations still referred to depression as “the blues.” My grandmother always shared her memory of cancer being only ever referred to as “the C-word” in the ‘80s. Suicide wasn’t talked about.

Growing up, my friends and I rarely ever spoke about our mental health despite the overwhelming stress that we were feeling – we just didn’t know how.

It became drastically clear to me how backward this approach to mental health care was when my older brother, Brian, ended his life at the age of 22. Only shortly before his death did my family and I learn that Brian had struggled in silence for years, convinced he was alone and that his mental health struggles were all his fault.

In the span of two decades, we’ve made important strides in destigmatizing personal struggles. Younger generations, particularly millennials and those in Gen Z, continue to break down barriers by engaging in candid conversations about mental health and encouraging their peers to seek support. Today’s youth and young adults are sharing their emotional

(CONTINUED ON PAGE 67)

challenges as openly as their physical ones, which is a profound and necessary shift in the way we look at mental health.

Youth mental health – a field that was hardly even recognized a generation ago – has now become a policy priority across the local, state and federal levels.

Policymakers are investing in clinical resources to address extreme capacity limitations in crisis response while

2024 THE HEART OF QUALITY PATIENT CARE

As the global professional organization for the entire cardiovascular care team, the American College of Cardiology (ACC) is committed to supporting patients, caregivers and health care professionals by ensuring the highest quality care is delivered to every patient, every time.

ACC Accreditation Services™

ACC Accreditation Services is helping hospitals and health systems improve cardiovascular care processes and patient outcomes to achieve the highest standard of cardiac care. All of the essential components of true process improvement are embedded in ACC’s accreditation programs.

NCDR® (National Cardiovascular Data Registry)

ACC’s suite of NCDR registries is helping hospitals, health systems, centers and practices by providing data-driven insights, analysis and research to inform clinical and operational decisions, allowing the cardiovascular care team to perform at the highest level and to deliver optimal care to every patient, every time.

MedAxiom

MedAxiom, a member-driven network powered by data, is the premier source for cardiovascular organizational performance solutions.

The following pages list more than 2,000 hospitals, centers and health systems that rely on ACC’s NCDR and Accreditation Services. Patients and caregivers can trust hospitals and centers that participate in the NCDR, receive the ACC’s Accreditation seal of approval, and are recognized with the Chest Pain – MI Registry™ Performance Achievement Award and the HeartCARE Center™ Award for delivering the best cardiovascular patient care.

ACC ACCREDITATION SERVICES

Cardiac Cath Lab Accr editation

CC Chest

cation

Heart Failure Accr editation

Helps fac ilities implement all the pre-, peri- and post-procedures that are essential for safe care and e cient sc heduling of patients ough the c at h lab.

Supports Critical Access Hospitals and FreeStanding EDs in employing sc ienti fically sound quality initiatives and best practices.

EP E lectrophysiology Accr editation

Ensures that requisite protocols, processes and systems are established in the care of patients with heart failure.

TV Transcathe ter Valve Certi fication

Chest Pain Center Accreditation

Focuses on ef ficient and effective emergency care of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients in the hospital setting.

Incorporates the most recentl y compiled guidelines and expert cons ensus statements to produce the best possible care of the EP patient.

b Ablation Registry™

Helps hospitals meet standards for multidisciplinary teams, for malized and shared decision- making in performance of transc at heter valve replacement and repair procedures.

NCDR

E EP Device Implant Registry™ and pacemaker procedures)

T STS/ACC TV T Registry™

ablation procedures) Assesses the p valence, demographics, acute management and outcomes of (AFib) catheter ablation procedures.

CathPCI Registry®

(Diagnostic cardiac catheterization and percutaneous coronary intervention)

Assesses the characteristics, treatments and outcomes of cardiovascular disease patients who receive diagnostic catheterization and/or PCI procedures.

CP Chest Pain — MI Registry™

(Acute myocardial infarction treatment) Is a risk-adjusted, outcomes-based quality improvement program for all patients with chest pain.

CV CV ASC Registry Suite™

(Procedures performed in ambulatory surger y centers and o ce-based labs) O er big-picture reviews, at-a-glance assessments and patientlevel drilldowns on procedures such as diagnostic catheterization, PCI,

Establishes a national standard for understanding patient characteristics, treatments, outcomes, device safety and the overall qualit y of care for ICD/ CRT-D and select novel pacemaker procedures.

IM IMPAC T Registry®

(Pediatric and adult congenital treatment procedures) Assesses the prevalence, demographics, management and outcomes of pediatric and adult congenital heart disease patients who undergo diagnostic catheterizations and catheter-based interventions.

L LAAO Registry™

(Lef t atrial appendage occlusion procedures) Captures data on left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) procedures to assess real-world procedural outcomes, short and long-term safety, and comparative e ectiveness.

(Transcatheter valve therapy procedures) Monitors patient safety and real-world outcomes related to transcatheter valve replacement and repair procedures – emerging treatments for valve disease patients.

HONORS

Chest Pain — MI Registry™

Performance Achievement Award

Recognizes hospitals participating in Chest Pain – MI Registr y that have demonstrated sustained, top-level performance in quality of care and adherence to guideline recommendations.

HeartCARE Center™

Recognizes hospitals that have demonstrated a commitment to world-class cardiovascular care through comprehensive process improvement,

accredit at ion, professional excellence, and community engagement.

HF

THE HEART OF QUALITY PATIENT CARE

ALABAMA

Grandview

Abrazo Arrowhead Campus

Yuma Regional Medical Center

Canyon Vista Medical Center

Carondelet St. Mary’s Hospital................

Medical Center

Medical Center - Houghton

Western Arizona Regional

Yavapai Regional Medical

Abrazo Central Campus

Abrazo Scottsdale Campus

Abrazo West Campus.....................................

Banner Boswell Medical Center

Banner Desert Medical Center

Banner Heart Hospital

Banner Thunderbird Medical Center..........

Banner University Medical Center

Phoenix

University Medical Center

HonorHealth Deer Valley Medical Center

Valley Hospital

Valley View Medical Center

Banner Estrella Medical Center

Carondelet St. Joseph’s

HonorHealth John C. Lincoln Medical

Kingman Regional Medical Center

St. Luke’s Hospital....................................

Verde Valley Medical Center

ARKANSAS

CHI St. Vincent Infirmary

Health - Fort Smith

Health System of

Arkansas

Baptist

Hospital.......................

Park Medical Center

Medical Center

Bentonville

of Arkansas for

CALIFORNIA

Participants in ACC’s NCDR Registries, Accreditation Services and Awardees

Marian Regional Medical

Mercy General Hospital

Mills - Peninsula

Riverside Community Hospital....

Saint Agnes Medical Center.........

St. Bernardine Medical

University Of California Davis

University of California

White Memorial Medical

Adventist Health St. Helena...............

Cedars - Sinai Health Systems...........

Community Medical Center - Clovis

Community Memorial Hospital.........

Desert Valley Hospital..........................

Dignity Health St. Joseph’s

Emanate Health

Fresno Community

Fresno

Kaweah Health

Keck Medical Center of

Los Robles Hospital & Medical

Valley Health

Shasta Regional Medical

St. John’s Regional Medical

Torrance Memorial Medical

City Medical

Arrowhead Regional Medical

Bakersfield Memorial Hospital................

Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula............................

Northridge Hospital Medical Center.....

PIH Health Good Samaritan Hospital.....

Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center

Providence Mission Hospital Medical Center

Providence Saint John’s Health Center

San Antonio Regional Hospital................

Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital.............

Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital................

Scripps Memorial Hospital - La Jolla......

Scripps Mercy Hospital - San Diego.......

Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center..........

Sharp Grossmont Hospital.......................

Sutter Santa Rosa Regional Hospital......

UCLA West Valley Medical Center.........

Adventist Health Simi Valley..........................

Dignity Health Dominican Hospital.............

Enloe Health.....................................................

Glendale Memorial Hospital and Health Center

Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital......................

John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital............

Kaiser Permanente Downey Medical Center

Kaiser Permanente Irvine

Center

Kaiser Permanente Oakland

Center

Kaiser Permanente Orange County Anaheim Medical Center...............................

Lucile S. Packard Children’s Hospital

University

Martin Luther King Jr.

Hospital

Palmdale Regional Medical Center

PIH Health Hospital - Whittier.......................

Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center..

University Health

Clara Valley Health and

Health Care

John Muir Medical Center

- Concord Campus

Kaiser Foundation Hospital.....................

Kaiser Foundation Hospital Fontana.....

Kaiser Permanente Medical

Kaiser Permanente Medical Center Santa Clara

MemorialCare Orange

MemorialCare

THE HEART OF QUALITY PATIENT CARE

DELAWARE

Bayhealth Hospital,

Campus

Beebe Healthcare

Bayhealth Hospital, Sussex Campus

Nemours Children’s Health

Nanticoke Memorial Hospital

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

George Washington

MedStar Washington

National Hospital

FLORIDA

AdventHealth Tampa, Pepin

Ocala

Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital.....

AdventHealth Carrollwood

AdventHealth

Wesley Chapel

AdventHealth Zephyrhills

Manatee Memorial

AdventHealth Dade City

AdventHealth North Pinellas

AdventHealth Sebring

St. Joseph’s & St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospitals

UF Health Jacksonville

AdventHealth Orlando

Lakeland Regional Health

Memorial Regional Hospital /South Broward Hospital

Morton Plant Hospital

Participants in ACC’s NCDR Registries, Accreditation Services and Awardees

HCA Florida Brandon Hospital................

HCA Florida Citrus Hospital.....................

HCA Florida Fawcett Hospital.................

HCA Florida Kendall Hospital..................

HCA Florida Lake City Hospital................

HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital...........

HCA Florida Mercy Hospital....................

HCA Florida Oak Hill Hospital.................

HCA Florida Ocala Hospital.....................

HCA Florida Westside

Holmes

Jupiter

Lakewood Ranch

HCA Florida

HCA Florida Palms

HCA

AdventHealth

AdventHealth

AdventHealth

AdventHealth

Hopkins

Broward Hospital.....................................

Children’s Health System........................

Children’s

GEORGIA

THE HEART OF QUALITY PATIENT CARE

IDAHO

Saint Alphonsus Regional

Portneuf Medical Center...............

St. Joseph Regional

St. Alphonsus Medical Center

Nampa

Eastern Idaho RMC....................................

Kootenai Health

HCA West Valley Medical

St. Luke’s Magic Valley Regional

ILLINOIS

Riverside

Endeavor Edward

OSF Saint Anthony

Copley Hospital...............

HSHS St. Elizabeth’s

Elmhurst Memorial Healthcare...............

Franciscan Health Olympia Fields..........

Glenbrook Hospital

Highland Park Hospital

MacNeal Hospital

Memorial Hospital Shiloh..........................

Mercyhealth Javon Bea Hospital.............

NorthShore University Health System...

Northwest Community Hospital.............

Northwestern Central

DuPage Hospital........................................

Northwestern Medicine

McHenry Hospital

Northwestern Medicine Palos Hospital

Northwestern Memorial Hospital...........

Prairie Heart Institute at St. John’s Hospital.................................

Rush Oak Park Hospital..............................

Rush University Medical Center..............

Silver Cross Hospital..................................

UChicago Medicine AdventHealth Hinsdale

Advocate Condell Medical Center..............

Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital............

Hospital

OSF HealthCare

Participants in ACC’s NCDR Registries, Accreditation Services and Awardees

2024 IMPROVING HEART FAILURE CARE TOGETHER

Coordinated care for post-discharge heart failure treatment is essential to your quality of life. That’s why we advocate the Partner in Care approach. Find health care facilities, outpatient clinics, and medical practices that are committed to the best patient outcomes and display these ACC Heart Failure Accreditation seals.

NORTHEAST

Hacksensack University Medical Center

Hackensack, NJ

Outpatient Services Partner:

JSUMC Advanced Heart Failure Center

Neptune City, NJ

SOUTH

Augusta Health Fishersville, VA

Outpatient Services Partner: Augusta Health Heart Failure Clinic

Baptist Health Louisville Louisville, KY

Outpatient Services Partner: Baptist Health Louisville Heart Failure Clinic

CHI St. Luke’s Health Memorial Lufkin Lufkin, TX

Outpatient Services Partner: The Heart Institute of East Texas

CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital Tyler, TX

Outpatient Services Partner: CHRISTUS Trinity Heart Failure Clinic

East Jefferson General Hospital Metairie, LA

Outpatient Services Partner: East Jefferson Heart Clinic

King’s Daughters Medical Center Ashland, KY

Outpatient Services Partner: King’s Daughters Structural and Heart Failure Clinic

Medical City Heart and Spine Hospitals Dallas, TX

Outpatient Services Partner:

Medical City Advanced Heart Failure Center

Methodist Le Bonheur Germantown Hospital Germantown, TN

Outpatient Services Partner: Sutherland Cardiology Clinic

Methodist University Hospital Memphis, TN

Outpatient Services Partner: University of TN Medical Group Cardiology - Methodist University

Novant Health New Hanover Regional Center Wilmington, NC

MIDWEST

Lawrence Memorial Hospital Lawrence, KS

Outpatient Services Partner: Cardiovascular Specialists of Lawrence

Lutheran Hospital of Indiana Fort Wayne, IN

Outpatient Services Partner: Lutheran Hospital Advanced Heart Failure Clinic

Trinity Health Ann Arbor Hospital Ann Arbor, MI

Outpatient Services Partner: Trinity Health Michigan Heart

WEST

Outpatient Services Partner: Novant Health Heart & Vascular Institute – Wilmington Main

Spartanburg Medical Center Spartanburg, SC

Outpatient Services Partners: Heart Failure Clinic Cherokee Medical Center Gaffney, SC

Heart Failure Clinic Pelham Medical Center

Greer, SC

Heart Failure Clinic Spartanburg Medical Center

Spartenburg, SC

Heart Failure Clinic Union Medical Center Union, SC

Billings Clinic Billings, MT

Outpatient Services Partner: Billings Clinic Heart Failure and Recovery Clinic

Eisenhower Medical Center Rancho Mirage, CA

Outpatient Services Partner: Glickman Cardiac Care Clinic Rancho

Loma Linda University Medical Center Loma Linda, CA

Outpatient Services Partner: International Heart Institute Outpatient Clinic

Renown Medical Center Reno, NV

Outpatient Services Partner: Heart Failure Program at Renown

Riley Hospital for Children

Indiana University Health

Riverview Health

Scott Memorial Hospital

St. Elizabeth Dearborn

Terre Haute Regional Hospital

Union Hospital Clinton

IOWA

St. Luke’s Hospital

MercyOne North Iowa

MercyOne Siouxland

MercyOne Waterloo

University of Iowa

MercyOne Des Moines

Genesis Medical Center, Davenport

Trinity Medical Center - Bettendorf

THE HEART OF QUALITY PATIENT CARE

CommonSpirit St. Catherine Hospital

- Garden City

Lawrence Memorial Hospital

Menorah Medical Center

St. Luke’s South Hospital................................

Ascension Via Christi Hospital at Manhattan

CommonSpirit St. Catherine Hospital

- Dodge City

Via Christi Hospital - Pittsburg

Wesley Woodlawn Hospital and ER

William Newton Memorial Hospital

KENTUCKY

Baptist Health Lexington

Baptist Health Paducah

King’s Daughters Medical Center

Baptist Health Louisville

Jewish Hospital

Norton Audubon

Pikeville Medical Center

St. Joseph Hospital

UK HealthCare

Ephraim McDowell Regional

Medical Center

Medical Center

Bowling Green

Norton Hospital

Baptist Health Corbin

Baptist Health Hardin

Mercy Health Lourdes Hospital

Saint Joseph East

Saint Joseph London

St. Claire Regional Medical Center

KANSAS

AdventHealth

St. Elizabeth Healthcare Edgewood

Clark Regional Medical Center

Harrison Memorial Hospital

Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital

Meadowview Regional Medical Center

Norton Brownsboro Hospital

Owensboro Health Regional Hospital

T.J. Regional Health

Baptist Health

Deaconess Madisonville, Inc.

Baptist Health Richmond

Frankfort Regional Medical Center

Community Hospital

Greenview Regional Hospital

Highlands ARH Regional Medical Center

Jackson Purchase Medical Center

Ephraim McDowell Fort Logan

Ephraim McDowell James B. Haggin Hospital

Fleming County Hospital

Hazard ARH Regional Medical Center

Memorial Hospital

Murray Calloway County Hospital

Norton Children’s Hospital

Norton Women’s and Children’s

LOUISIANA

CHRISTUS Ochsner St. Patrick Hospital

CHRISTUS Shreveport Bossier

Ochsner/LSU Health Shreveport

Participants in ACC’s NCDR Registries, Accreditation Services and Awardees

Anna Jaques Hospital..........................................

Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital

Plymouth, Inc.......................................................

Hospital....................................................

Caritas Holy Family Hospital...............................

Mass General Brigham - Salem Hospital..........

Melrose - Wakefield Hospital..............................

Anne’s Hospital............................................

MICHIGAN

Corewell Health Grand Rapids

Marquette

Health St. Joseph

Arbor....................................

McLaren Greater Lansing..............

MyMichigan Medical Center

Trinity Health Muskegon

THE HEART OF QUALITY PATIENT CARE

University

Children’s Minnesota

University of Minnesota Health, Heart Care - Burnsville

MISSISSIPPI

Baptist Memorial Hospital

- North Mississippi

- Desoto

Baptist

- Golden Triangle

Methodist

Pascagoula

Singing River Gulfport

Ambulatory

Freeman Health System

Saint Luke’s Hospital of Kansas

Boone Hospital Center

Cox Medical Center Branson

Cox Medical Center South

Lee’s Summit Medical Center

Liberty Hospital

SSM Health Saint Louis

University Hospital

St. Joseph Medical Center

St. Luke’s Hospital

Mercy Hospital Joplin

Mercy Hospital South

Mercy Hospital Springfield

Mercy Hospital St. Louis

Missouri Baptist Medical Center

Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center

SSM Health DePaul Hospital - St. Louis

St. Mary’s Medical Center

Children’s Mercy Kansas City

Citizens Memorial Hospital

Hannibal Regional Hospital

Northeast Regional Medical Center

Saint Luke’s East Hospital

Saint Luke’s Northland Hospital

SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital

Jefferson City

Barnes Jewish St. Peter’s Hospital

Belton Regional Medical Center

Region Medical Center

Care Center,

MISSOURI

Barnes

Participants in ACC’s NCDR Registries, Accreditation Services and Awardees

Peconic

NORTH CAROLINA

Novant

Frye

THE HEART OF QUALITY PATIENT CARE

Sentara Albemarle Medical Center........

Watauga Medical Center..........................

Wilson Medical Center...............................

Lake Norman Regional Medical Center......

Maria Parham Health.......................................

Novant Health Kernersville

UNC Health Johnston Clayton......................

Johnson Regional.......................................

Harnett Hospital.......................................

NORTH DAKOTA

Participants in ACC’s NCDR Registries, Accreditation Services and Awardees

The American College of Cardiology (ACC) thanks Emergency Medical Service (EMS) professionals for your indispensable role in providing essential care, including for patients experiencing heart attack symptoms or other heart-related emergencies. Your rapid response is vital to ensuring early treatment saves lives, and we’re deeply thankful for the positive impact you make every day, every hour, every minute for patients, their families and the communities where we live.

We are especially proud of the EMS agencies that are partnering with the ACC through our Accredited and Certified Chest Pain Centers and Chest Pain–MI Registry participants across the U.S. to achieve our mission to transform cardiovascular care and improve heart health for all. Your dedication ensures that every patient has the best outcome possible regardless of where they might experience a medical emergency.

EMS PARTNERS IN CARE WITH PARTICIPATING HOSPITALS

Pafford Medical Services

Saline Memorial Hospital, AR

Russellville Fire Department City of Russellville Office

Saint Mary’s Regional Health System, AR

Pope County Emergency Medical Services

Saint Mary’s Regional Health System, AR

Murrieta Fire and Rescue

Loma Linda University MC - Murrieta, CA

Cathedral City Fire Department

Desert Regional Medical Center, CA

Bi-County Ambulance

Adventist Health and Rideout, CA

Morgan County Ambulance Service

Centura St. Elizabeth Hospital (Colorado Plains MC), CO

Beacon Hose Company #1

Waterbury Hospital, CT

Lifeguard Ambulance Services

- Global Medical Response AMR

HCA Florida West Hospital, FL

Leon County Emergency Medical Services

Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare, FL

Normal Fire Department

Carl BroMenn Medical Center, IL

Porter Health Services LLC

dba Northwest Health EMS

Northwest Health Porter, IN

Norton Healthcare Transport

Norton Women’s & Children’s Hospital, KY

East Baton Rouge Parish

Our Lady of the Lake Regional MC, LA

West Feliciana Parish Hospital

Emergency Medical Services

West Feliciana Hospital, LA

Mercy EMS

UP Health System Portage, MI

Status current as of

City of Henderson Fire Department

St. Rose Dominican Hospital Siena Campus, NV

Lima Fire Department

Lima Memorial Health System, OH

Bath Township Fire Department

Lima Memorial Health System, OH

Ponca City Fire Department

AllianceHealth Ponca City, OK

Good Fellowship Ambulance & EMS Training Institute Inc

Chester County Hospital - Penn Medicine, PA

Anderson County Emergency Medical Services - Anderson County EMS AnMed, SC

Lee County EMS

Carolina Pines Regional Medical Center, SC

Germantown Fire Department

Methodist LeBonheur Germantown, TN

Lawrence County Ambulance Services

dba Lawrence County EMS

Southern Tennessee Regional

Health Systems-Lawrenceburg, TN

Denison Fire Rescue

Texoma Medical Center, TX

Whitesboro Fire Department

Texoma Medical Center, TX

Brownsville EMS

Valley Regional Medical Center, TX

Brownsville Fire Department

Valley Baptist Medical Center Brownsville, TX

Town of Richlands

dba Richlands Fire Rescue

Clinch Valley Medical Center, VA

Oakwood Fire and Rescue

Clinch Valley Medical Center, VA

Cabell County EMS

St. Mary’s Medical Center, WV

WVU Medicine dba Camden Clark

Camden Clark Medical Center, WV

NCDR eREPORTS EMS PARTICIPANTS & HOSPITALS SERVICED

Washington County Regional Ambulance Authority - Central EMS

Fayetteville, AR

Washington Regional Medical Center

Metro EMS

Little Rock, AR

University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Unity Health White County Medical Center

CHI St. Vincent Infirmary

Baptist Health Medical Center - North Little Rock

Baptist Medical Center - Little Rock

Palm Beach Gardens Fire and Rescue

Palm Beach, FL

Jessamine County EMS

Nicholasville, KY

Baptist Health Lexington

Saint Joseph East

St. Joseph Hospital

Professional Ambulance and Oxygen Services

Cambridge, MA

Powell Emergeny Medical Service

Deer Lodge, MT

Union EMS

Monroe, NC

Atrium Health Pineville

Atrium Health’s Carolinas Medical Center

Novant Health Matthews Medical Center

Novant Heallth Presbyterian Medical Center

Iredell County EMS

Statesville, NC

Novant Health Huntersville Medical Center

Frye Regional Medical Center

Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center

Catawba Valley Medical Center

Atrium Health’s Carolinas Medical Center

Novant Health Presbyerian Medical Center

Atrium Health Cabarrus

City of Cleveland Ambulance Service

Cleveland, OH

Fairview Hospital

The MetroHealth System

Western Berks Ambulance Association

West Lawn, PA

Penn State Health St. Joseph

City of Sugar Land Fire - EMS

Sugar Land, TX

Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital

City of Pharr EMS

Pharr, TX

Doctors Hospital at Renaissance

Rio Grande Regional Hospital

McAllen Heart Hospital

Kanawha County EMS

Charleston, WV

Charleston Area Medical Center, Inc

THE HEART OF QUALITY PATIENT CARE

Mercy Hospital Ardmore, Inc..............................

Saint Francis South, LLC

SSM Health St. Anthony

OREGON

Adventist

Heart Medical Center

Bay Area Hospital

Legacy Emanuel Medical Center

Oregon Health & Science

Charles Health System...................

Health

Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center

Mckenzie - Willamette Medical

Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center

Health Hillsboro Medical Center

Mount Hood Medical Center................

Medford Medical Center

Portland Medical Center

Willamette Valley Medical Center

PENNSYLVANIA

Participants in ACC’s NCDR Registries, Accreditation Services and Awardees

CAROLINA

SOUTH DAKOTA

Tristar Horizon Medical Center

TriStar Skyline Medical Center

TriStar

TriStar Stone Crest

THE HEART OF QUALITY PATIENT CARE

Methodist Stone Oak Hospital

Northeast Methodist Hospital

Texoma Medical Center

University Medical Center of El Paso

University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Baylor Scott & White Health

Baylor Scott & White Medical Center

- Round Rock

BSA Hospital LLC

TEXAS

CHRISTUS Mother Frances

CHI/Baylor St. Luke’s Medical

St. Luke’s Health - Memorial Hospital - Lufkin

The Hospitals of Providence

Methodist Texsan

Baylor Scott & White Heart

St. Luke’s

CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital

Christi - Shoreline

Harris Health System

HCA Houston Healthcare Conroe

Houston Healthcare

Houston Healthcare

Houston Methodist Hospital

Houston Methodist

Woodlands Hospital

Houston Methodist

Willowbrook Hospital

CHRISTUS Good Shepherd Medical Center

Corpus Christi Medical Center

- Doctors Regional

Covenant Health

Doctors Hospital at Renaissance

HCA Houston Healthcare Tomball

Houston Healthcare Southeast

Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital

Houston Methodist West Hospital

McAllen Heart Hospital..................

Memorial Hermann Memorial City Medical Center

Memorial Hermann

Southeast Hospital

Memorial Hermann

Southwest Hospital

Memorial Hermann

The Woodlands Medical Center

North Central Baptist Hospital

Baptist Hospital

Rio Grande Regional Hospital

Seton Medical Center

Harker Heights

Valley Regional Medical Center

AdventHealth Central Texas

Ascension Providence

Baylor Scott & White All Saints

Center - Fort Worth

Baylor Scott & White

The Heart Hospital - Plano

CHRISTUS Hospital - St. Elizabeth

CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Hospital

- New Braunfels

CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Hospital

- Westover Hills

CHRISTUS St. Michael

System

Corpus Christi Medical Center

- Bay Area

DeTar Healthcare System

HCA Healthcare North Cypress

Participants in ACC’s NCDR Registries, Accreditation Services and Awardees

Bon

Sentara

Sentara

Carilion

Children’s

THE HEART OF QUALITY PATIENT CARE

WISCONSIN

working to ensure equitable access to mental health education that encourages young people to ask for help. The need to educate young Americans to combat the youth mental health crisis has even been recognized at the highest levels of government.

“Just like exercise and nutrition, our relationships with one another are fundamental components of our overall health and well-being,” said U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy. In 2023, he led a national collegiate “We Are Made to Connect” tour focused on helping “students learn how to better incorporate moments of connection into their daily lives.”

New Mental Health Challenges

While these strides are significant, the youth mental health crisis has only worsened. After 20 years as the leader of Active Minds, a youth mental health organization, I’ve seen that shifting the culture around mental health is possible, but it happens over generations. Achieving lasting progress requires partnering with the group often overlooked when discussing solutions to this crisis: youth themselves.

Youth and young adults are necessary partners in changing the culture around mental health because they understand the experiences of their generation better than anyone else. On top of the stress from school and personal pressures – including their uniquely digital-native upbringing – this group has been disproportionately impacted by the compounding effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing threat of gun violence in their schools. For BIPOC and LGBTQ+ youth, our historical legacy of racial prejudice and homophobia has led to increased mental health challenges, which are only exacerbated by the current rise of legislation targeting critical race theory and the LGBTQ+ community.

Leading the Way

This unique set of pressures has stoked young people’s passion for normalizing mental health discussions and securing equitable access to care. Going forward, it’s essential that their perspectives inform our response.

Through my work at Active Minds, I’ve seen the role that young voices already play in shaping attitudes towards mental health. Movements such as the youth-led March For Our Lives (focused on ending gun violence) and Rock the Vote (aimed at increas -

Achieving lasting progress requires partnering with youth themselves.

ing youth political power) have expanded support for young people in grassroots activism, amplified critical issues to a national audience and demanded action from policymakers. Our involvement in the surgeon general’s “We Are Made to Connect” tour demonstrated just how invested young adults are in ensuring that mental health resources are accessible among their peers and in their communities. If we provide youth and young adults who are passionate about mental health with the tools to drive policy change in their schools, we can prepare them for a lifetime of engagement in mental health advocacy. Young people are not just sitting on the sidelines waiting for adults to create solutions – they’re actively seeking ways to mobilize and address the challenges that their communities are facing. It’s our imperative to support them. We’ve seen this in the sheer growth of Active Minds chapters alone, which have expanded to over 600 youth-led mental health advocacy groups over the course of 20 years. Today, upwards of 15,000 young adults across more than 1,000 college campuses are leading the way in creating a more positive culture around mental health by expanding conversation around mental health struggles, advocating for progressive mental health policies and promoting help-seeking tools and resources.

A Youth-Led Future

Our approach to mental health has fundamentally changed in the two decades since my brother’s passing. Back then, we simply needed people to more openly say the words “depression” and “suicide.” Now, stigma is lessening, but the challenges are just as present.

Support Is Here

To keep the momentum going in the right direction, our strategy as mental health advocates must recognize youth and young adults as key drivers in permanently shifting how we view mental health, build lasting policy that erases stigmas and push for early intervention – all with the goal of saving lives. The belief I have in the power of young people to catalyze change today is the same hope that propelled me to start Active Minds when I was a student in college trying to navigate the grief of losing my brother. Today’s young people, equipped with their experiences and insights, will be the driving force behind mental health policy changes in the coming decades. We should go beyond recognizing their potential – we should also actively partner with them now to ensure a future where mental well-being is a shared priority for all. When it comes to advocating for mental health, we can no longer keep youth at the kids’ table. l

Engage with patients who are actively considering your hospital, health system or doctors.

Why Hospital Showcase

Custom Features

Hospital Showcase is a premium brand marketing solution from U.S. News aimed at enhancing the patient experience by tailoring your hospital and doctor profile pages through custom added features and content.

• Brand Promotion and Logo

• Custom Video

• Custom Linkable Content Units

• Message for Potential Patients

• and more

Contact our team to learn more.

Colin Hamilton

Healthcare Director, U.S. News & World Report hospitalshowcase @ usnews.com

CONGRATULATIONS!

To our nation's top rising Osteopathic physicians as nominated by state peers.

The American Osteopathic Foundation is pleased to celebrate the 2024 State Emerging Leaders who are honored in their first decade of practice.

View a video of these Emerging Osteopathic Leaders!

Daniel Knapp, DO Radiology

Dante Paredes, DO Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine

Rianna Kondaveeti, DO Family Medicine

OREGON

Caleb Hentges, DO Pediatrics

Sean Johnson, DO Family Medicine Family Medicine

Michael Foti, DO Internal Medicine

NEW JERSEY

Adedoyin Aderinto, DO Family Medicine

MONTANA

Dorothy Sizemore, DO Family Medicine

MISSOURI

Jordan Palmer, DO Family Medicine

Jonathan Reves, DO Internal Medicine

MICHIGAN

Lauren Azevedo, DO Pediatrics

MARYLAND

Taisei Suzuki, DO Family Medicine

John Diefenderfer, DO Family Medicine

ILLINOIS

Shoji Samson, DO Pediatrics

GEORGIA

Lucie Noriscat Mitchell, DO Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation

FLORIDA

John Dahdah, DO Internal Medicine

CALIFORNIA

Simran Behniwal, DO Pediatrics

ARIZONA

Eren Ural, DO Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine

PatientPower

Learn how to take charge of your current wellbeing and set yourself up for a healthier future

Pain and the Power

of the Mind

Mind-body therapies help you reframe awareness of pain, so you can learn to use your mind to control the discomfort.

by Jake Panasevich, E-RYT and Stacey Colino, ACE-CHC, MS  ©

IN 2015, Lesley Paterson broke her shoulder during a practice run the day before the Costa Rica XTERRA triathlon. The injury caused her to lose the ability to use her arm. Not only did Paterson compete in the race, but she also crossed the finish line as the winner. Furthermore, the now five-time world champion triathlete battles with debilitating, chronic Lyme disease. She attributes her ability to persevere, despite experiencing mental and physical pain, to the power of her mind.

“It’s a mindset you develop across years and years,” says Paterson, who now lives in Los Angeles, California and works as an Oscar-nominated screenwriter. “It’s something both you’re born with and you develop and cultivate. I’ve dealt with pain my whole life, or rather sought it out.”

The Mind-Body Connection

Paterson’s ability to navigate pain by leveraging her thoughts is also backed by research. For decades, scientists, doctors and health professionals have researched the mind-body connection, or the way that our thoughts and emotions affect our physical health.

Ellen Langer, a professor of psychology at Harvard University and author of The Mindful Body: Thinking Our Way to Chronic Health, is renowned for her groundbreaking research on the connection between mind and body. In 1979, she conducted the pivotal “counterclockwise” study, in which elderly men were immersed in a retreat and lived as if they were 20 years younger. As a result, the

PATIENT POWER

men grew “younger” in health-related measurements

“We had elderly men live there a week as if they were their younger selves. For example, they spoke of the past in the present tense,” Langer says. “In a period of time, less than a week, their vision, hearing, memory and strength all improved and they looked noticeably younger, without any medical intervention.”

This study is part of a larger body of research that illustrates what Langer calls “mind-body unity.” Other studies have shown that participants’ perceptions of time can accelerate healing and reduce fatigue, underscoring the interplay between mental states and physical well-being.

Mindful Decision Making for Pain Management

When Paterson broke her shoulder, she went through a mental, stepwise approach to continue her race, despite the pain she was experiencing.

“I had broken a shoulder. Of course I’m going to feel pain, but it’s something that you’ve trained your mindset to deal with,” Paterson says. “You break it down into small sections. You say, ‘I’m going to do the swim with one arm. If I get through that, and it’s okay, then we move onto the bike. If I manage to make it a mile on the bike, great.’”

Not only did this attitude help Paterson win the race, but it

5 Mind-Body Therapies to Help Ease Pain

MANAGING chronic pain involves more than just addressing the physical symptoms; it requires a holistic approach that incorporates both the mind and body. Here are five effective ways to utilize mind-body techniques for managing chronic pain:

1. Mindfulness Meditation This practice involves focusing the mind on the present moment without judgment. For chronic pain sufferers, mindfulness meditation can help cultivate awareness of pain sensations without becoming overwhelmed by them. By observing pain without reacting emotionally, individuals can reduce the stress and anxiety often associated with chronic pain and, as a result, decrease the perception of pain intensity.

2. Yoga and Stretching Specific yoga poses and stretches can target areas of the body affected by chronic pain, such as the back, neck or joints. The controlled movements and emphasis on deep breathing can reduce muscle tension, improve circulation and release endorphins, which are natural painkillers. Yoga also supports pain management by encouraging mindfulness and body awareness.

3. Biofeedback The technique uses electronic monitoring equipment to teach individuals how to control physiological processes such as heart rate, muscle tension and skin temperature. By learning to modify these responses through relaxation techniques, visualization or deep breathing, individuals can reduce pain levels and improve their sense of control over their condition.

4. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

CBT is a therapeutic approach that helps individuals identify and change negative thought patterns and behaviors. When applied to chronic pain management, CBT aims to modify the way patients perceive and respond to pain. Techniques such as cognitive restructuring (challenging negative beliefs about pain)

and relaxation training can help patients regain a sense of control and reduce the impact of pain on their daily lives. CBT also addresses factors such as depression and anxiety, which commonly accompany chronic pain and can exacerbate symptoms.

5. Progressive Muscle Relaxation

PMR involves tensing and then relaxing muscle groups in a systematic manner. This process helps release physical tension and promotes relaxation throughout the body. By practicing PMR regularly, people can learn to recognize and reduce muscle tension patterns that contribute to their pain. PMR is often combined with deep breathing exercises or guided imagery to enhance its effectiveness in managing pain and promoting overall relaxation.

could have helped her manage her pain. Langer says that being mindful about making decisions leads to less pain and stress and, therefore, better overall health. This approach aligns with the idea that focusing on specific, achievable goals can empower individuals to overcome challenges. Research indicates that instead of telling someone to “try” a task, encouraging them to “do” it results in significantly better performance.

“Instead of wasting your time trying to make the right decision, make the decision right,” Langer says. “The stress from making decisions comes from the fear of not making the right decision. You can’t know what the right decision is because things are always changing. They look different from different perspectives. Make it work.”

Langer believes that being decisive in the language we use for terms like cancer remission also has a profound effect on the outcome. She says that remission has the built-in expectation that the patient is going to continue to be sick, or the disease will eventually return. This can be stressful. Instead, she suggests it’s reasonable for those in remission to see themselves as cured for potentially better results.

“In some sense, you get what you expect,” Langer explains. “Every single thought has an effect on our bodies. Every movement has an effect on our thoughts. It’s all very subtle.”

Power of Positive Thinking

Paterson first noticed signs of chronic Lyme disease in 2011. Since then, she’s experienced symptoms ranging in severity such as stomach problems, depression, anxiety and fatigue. She had to take off a full season from competing to work with functional medicine doctors.

“I’ve been through massive highs, massive lows and everything in between,” Paterson says. “It’s always believing that you can be better. That you can find something to progress.”

This mindset could have helped Paterson with pain management. Langer says that research on Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, arthritis and other chronic pain conditions shows that people find great relief by becoming aware that their pain is on a spectrum. Once

has an effect

Every single thought on our bodies.

someone realizes their pain doesn’t only get worse but feels better at times, it is crucial to consider why it improves. This is an exercise in mindfulness and helps those who are suffering to stay hopeful and seek out solutions.

Relationship Between Emotions and Physical Pain

Paterson’s symptoms of Lyme disease manifest both mentally and physically, and the two are always interconnected.

According to Tom Walters, a board-certified orthopedic physical therapist and author of Rehab Science: How to Overcome Pain and Heal from Injury, navigating pain is both an exercise in therapy and physical movements.

“Often there’s a fear-avoidance scenario, where you have pain and you get scared to do certain movements because you’re worried it’s going to injure you,” Walters says. “Not being able to do those causes depression. Then you move less, and create more pain. A lot of people get caught in that cycle with both anxiety and depression.”

Walters says that your mental health can negatively affect the pain you experience and that everyone has unique experiences with pain. He suggests that if someone is experiencing discomfort for more than three to six months, they may want to consider how their thoughts and emotions could be having an effect.

“There’s some research citing that depression is a stronger predictor of chronic back pain than any physical characteristic,” Walters says. “The mental side is definitely tied to physical pain and injuries.”

Empowering Approach to Pain

Paterson continues to pursue her passions as a triathlete, and alongside her screenwriting, these pursuits keep her motivated. They also help her navigate painful moments and actively seek out challenges to conquer.

“I truly believe that mind work is the essence of success in life,” Paterson says. “I put myself in difficult situations and embrace any kind of failures as a way to grow, learn about myself and get better.” l

What Not to Say to People With Chronic Pain – and What to Say Instead

AN ESTIMATED 52 million adults in the U.S. have chronic pain, which – by definition – lasts for three or more months, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Living with it is far from easy. As a result, navigating conversations with people suffering from chronic pain can be tricky and delicate. There are questions and statements that may seem innocuous, but to those who live with chronic pain day in and day out, they may be upsetting.

That’s why it’s important to be thoughtful about how we talk to people whose life is marked by chronic pain. Here, what not to tell someone with chronic pain –and what to say instead.

“You don’t look like you’re in pain.”

While you might see this as a compliment, it could be interpreted as disbelief that the person is actually feeling as bad as they do or a suggestion that their pain isn’t real.

One way or another, “it invalidates the person’s experience,” says Meghan Beier, an assistant professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. This is especially problematic because people with chronic pain often feel unheard, unseen and misunderstood.

Given that you can’t tell by looking at someone how they feel, it’s better to ask questions like: How are you feeling today? How can I be supportive? How are you feeling compared to how you usually feel?

“Have you tried _______?”

Whether the blank is filled with a suggestion to try a specific medication, dietary change or alternative remedy, such as acupuncture, these recommendations are rarely appreciated, experts say.

“A lot of times people try to give solutions rather than listening or showing compassion or empathy to the person with chronic pain,” says Ranak Trivedi, an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University.

As a result, the suggestions can feel patronizing. A better approach, Trivedi says, is to ask which pain treatments or strategies the person has tried that helped.

“It must be nice to get some time off of work.”

This phrase is frequently used when someone with chronic pain takes sick days or leave, but it can come across as insensitive, as they are likely struggling and not enjoying their time off.

In situations like this, it’s best to acknowledge that they’re in pain

and ask if there are things you can do that might help them feel a little better, such as spending time outside, says Espinola. In that case, you could offer to go with them or help in a specific way by saying something like, “I’m going to the grocery store. Can I get you anything for dinner?”

“I guess you’re going to have to toughen up.”

Some people show the sensitivity of a drill sergeant when dealing with those in pain. Telling someone, “We all experience pain,” “Buck up,” or even “Put on a happy face” sends the message that their pain is insignificant.

Instead, it’s important to practice empathy, compassion and respect to show your support. You could say: “I’m impressed by how well you’re handling this.”

“At least it’s not cancer.”

With a statement like this, you’re essentially comparing the person’s pain with cancer, a life-threatening disease. “What you are really saying is ‘I am judging your health condition against something I find to be really scary,’ rather than validating that the person is suffering,” Trivedi says. “People often don’t realize how much someone with chronic pain is suffering.”

Ultimately, it’s important to avoid “compare and despair” moments, Beier says. It’s an unhelpful thinking style, and it could inadvertently add to the person’s distress. Instead, she adds, it’s better to focus on what the person is telling you and be supportive.

Procedures & Conditions

Hospital Data Insights is an analytics platform from U.S. News & World Report based on the data underpinning the Best Hospitals rankings.

Why Hospital Data Insights?

Transform Insights Into Action

•Explore elements to help improve patient care

•Promote brand awareness

• Inform resource allocation

•Discover performance drivers

For more information or to request a free customized demo of your data, get in touch.

3,500+ hospitals

31+ million data points

5,000+ metrics

25 years of data

hdi.usnews.com

hdi@usnews.com (202) 955-2171

12 steps to take before you walk into the

by Ruben Castaneda  ©

WHEN YOU’RE ABOUT to go in for surgery, it’s normal to have a number of questions and maybe some worries, too. One study in the journal Patient Safety in Surgery found that 47% of patients have preoperative anxiety, with fear of death, complications and unexpected operation results topping their list of concerns. And considering that 15 million Americans have some sort of surgery every year, that’s a lot of people who are dealing with anxiety! But– deep breaths – you don’t need to be one of them.

Arming yourself with the knowledge of the best ways to prep for your operation could help calm your pre-surgery jitters. Not only that, but working closely with your healthcare providers before (and after!) the operation and surrounding yourself with the right support can even help you feel better faster. Read on for twelve

effective ways to improve your recovery, including how to prepare for surgery and what to do post-surgery.

1

Aim for a Healthy Pre-Surgery Weight

Being at a healthy weight at the time of your surgery helps improve your chance of avoiding postoperative complications. In a 2018 meta-analysis published in the Annals of Gastroenterological Surgery, researchers found that obesity prolongs operative time and, as a result, may be a risk factor for certain short-term, post-surgery outcomes, depending on the procedure.

“The risk of wound infection decreases and the ability to move around and speed up your recovery is so much better when the patient is closer to an ideal body weight,” says Dr. Tracey Childs, a board-certified general and colorectal surgeon and acting chief of surgery at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California.

Of course, losing weight is often easier said than done – and fad diets can do more harm than good. If you think you’d benefit from dropping a few pounds before your surgery, talk with your physician. But be aware that if you take a weight-loss drug like Ozempic, recent guidelines advise stopping the medication in advance of your surgery. The meds can delay stomach emptying, which can lead to serious complications during surgery.

2

Focus on Nutrition

On the flip side, being underweight can also be a risk factor for surgical complications. For some patients, getting enough calories and maintaining a minimum healthy weight before their surgery is important.

“Many patients are coming for cancer surgery and have just completed chemotherapy or radiation that has left them underweight. It’s very difficult to heal from surgery and maintain healthy immune status when malnourished,” says Dr. Joyce A. Wahr, a professor of anesthesiology at the University of Minnesota. She recommends that patients consult a registered dietitian to help them develop a healthy eating plan that provides the nutrition and calories they need before their surgery.

Patients who need more nutrition should focus on eating calorie-dense foods before their procedure. Such patients can also consume nutrient- and calorie-dense beverages, such as breakfast drinks, two to three times a day, Wahr says. For example, blending peanut butter with an Ensure chocolate beverage makes for a high-calorie drink that’s also rich in nutrients.

3

Drink Clear Liquids

The American Society of Anesthesiologists recommends that all healthy patients drink clear liquids up until two hours before surgery. That includes water, black coffee or tea (no milk or creamer), fruit juice (without pulp) and clear electrolyte drinks (like Gatorade or Pedialyte). Doing so has been shown to reduce hunger, nausea and thirst, as well as ease anxiety.

Other options include clear carbohydrate beverages, like Ensure Pre-Surgery, that have been formulated to help patients before and after surgery. This particular drink contains 50 grams of carbohydrates, which may improve surgical outcomes and help patients avoid dehydration that can occur during the preoperative fasting period. According to Wahr, “Thirst is an incredibly powerful drive. When we are thirsty and not permitted to drink, it can be really miserable.” In other words, make sure you take this chance to hydrate!

4

Fuel Your Body with Protein

Eating enough protein prior to your operation helps support your immunity, promotes wound healing and assists in maintaining muscle mass. All of that can help you get back on your feet sooner, says Lauren Sullivan, clinical nutrition manager of Inpatient Nutrition Therapy at Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Human Nutrition.

“Protein is a fuel source for the body,” says Sullivan. “It supports tissue, muscles, organs, your immune system, hair, skin, nails and more. Higher protein intake prior to surgery provides the body with the building blocks needed to heal and repair

itself during recovery.”

Excellent sources of protein include beans, dairy products like cottage cheese and Greek yogurt, eggs, fish, lean meat, skinless chicken, legumes and nuts.

5

Eat Plenty of Plant-Based Foods

Prior to surgery, you’ll also want to stock up and chow down on fruits, vegetables and other plant-based foods. In addition to providing dietary fiber, they contain lots of healthy nutrients, including compounds called phytochemicals that reduce the risk for inflammation, says Anne VanBeber, a professor of nutritional sciences at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas.

These anti-inflammatory compounds can help your body heal from surgery. For example, foods high in vitamin C – like bell peppers, broccoli and strawberries – can help to rebuild collagen, which is the building block of our skin, VanBeber explains. Plant-based foods to add to your pre-surgery shopping list could include produce (leafy greens and berries are especially great picks), nuts and seeds, whole grains (like quinoa and rice) and legumes (such as lentils and beans).

Make a point of walking at least 30 minutes every day prior to surgery.

6

Avoid Added Sugar

Excessive sugar intake may lead to insulin resistance or elevated blood glucose levels, which are associated with diabetes. For patients undergoing surgery, this can reduce healing and promote infection.

You should avoid treats with added sugar – such as cake, fruit pies, cookies, muffins and candy – before and after surgery. Instead, reach for fruits that contain natural sugars, like apples, blackberries, blueberries and citrus fruits, as they provide plenty of nutrients, including fiber.

7 Stop Smoking and Vaping

If you haven’t quit yet, now’s the time to. That’s because smoking or vaping tobacco or cannabis right before a procedure could impair blood flow function. This can lead to complications such as death, heart attack, poor wound healing, shock and stroke.

Indeed, according to research published in 2020 by the World Health Organization, the University of Newcastle, Australia and the World Federation of Societies of Anesthesiologists, eliminating tobacco for more than four weeks prior to surgery was associated with better postsurgical outcomes – and each additional week of cutting out smoking improved outcomes even further. Moreover, a 2017 meta-analysis published in the journal Surgical Infections that evaluated 26 studies involving more than 67,000 patients found that smoking increases the risk of surgical site infection after surgery.

Childs suggests talking to your surgeon about ways to quit smoking or vaping as soon as your surgery is scheduled. For additional support, the American College of Surgeons has a program to help their surgery patients and physicians collaborate to achieve this health goal using various strategies, including nicotine cessation products and mindfulness techniques.

8 Increase Physical Activity

Getting enough exercise and staying active is always a smart choice for improving your health. But it’s especially important in the weeks and months before you’re scheduled to undergo surgery, since keeping your body in shape and accustomed to physical activity can help you bounce back after the operation.

“Sometimes people think they should become inactive because they are about to have surgery,” Wahr says. “We encourage patients who are active to continue to be active, and those who have a low level of physical activity to increase it.”

Make a point of walking at least 30 minutes every day, suggests Wahr. And if you have a favorite form of exercise, like swimming or playing tennis, try to continue your usual workout regimen. Additionally, aim to keep moving post-surgery, since physical inactivity following an operation can make some patients vulnerable to potentially deadly blood clots.

9

Consider a Pain Management Plan

Patients who undergo surgery may experience varying degrees of pain and a loss of functionality that comes with that discomfort. For example, someone who has surgery to reduce an enlarged prostate may feel little to no postoperative discomfort. However, someone who undergoes knee replacement surgery may experience significant pain and, in the short term, loss of functionality.

“Pain after surgery is something that a lot of patients fear. Knowing how to make good decisions about your options, especially non-opioid ones, will help you feel better and make the best progress,” says Sterling Elliott, a clinical pharmacist lead of ambulatory surgery practice and assistant professor of orthopaedic surgery at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago.

Patients should ask their surgeon and pharmacist about the best options for managing their post-surgical pain and how to recognize when the discomfort is affecting their functionality. It’s also important to educate yourself on the dangers of using opioids such as oxycodone, which are associated with misuse, dependence and overdose. “There’s power in understanding how and when to use opioids,” Elliott says. “There’s power in knowing when another option is best. Ultimately, thoughtful decision-making will be best for your recovery.”

10

Get Enough Fiber

The combination of taking pain medications and getting less physical activity post-surgery can often lead to uncomfortable constipation. As a result, most hospitals no longer require patients to have a bowel movement before being discharged to go home, Childs says.

However, consuming enough fiber and avoiding narcotic pain medications, which are associated with constipation, can help you maintain regularity following your surgery. Foods like beans, fruits, lentils, nuts, whole grains and vegetables are great options.

11

Continue Taking Your Prescribed Medications

It’s important that your care team is fully aware of all the medications you’re taking along with the dosages. And unless your surgeon or physician advises you otherwise, you should keep taking your prescribed medications as usual.

“Though it is becoming less common, some patients think they need to halt all medications in order to prepare for surgery, and it can have dire consequences,” says Dr. Neelakantan Anand, professor of orthopaedics and co-medical director of spine trauma surgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. “This is one decision you shouldn’t make yourself. Leave it to the experts.”

Communicate with Your Surgeon

Typically, your surgeon will provide post-surgery recovery instructions before your procedure, These days, all of

this information tends to be provided through a digital portal, but you can ask for a printed copy if that’s more convenient for you, Childs says. You can go over the instructions with your surgeon or the physician’s staff and then reread them at home to make sure it’s all clear. Call your doctor’s office if you have any questions.

Technology can also connect patients with their surgeons and other health care providers, allowing them to develop a plan for a successful post-operation recovery together. A patient engagement app, like Twistle, can come in handy for getting in touch with your care team and for sending reminders about upcoming appointments. Doctors can get in touch immediately to resolve any alarming issues, like pre-surgery anxiety or unexpected pain. And after the surgery, the app sends patients check-in questions. “It keeps us connected and makes patients feel very cared for,” Childs says. l

Homeward Bound

Before you’re discharged from the hospital, take the time to set yourself up for a healthier future

by Vanessa Caceres  ©

YOU’VE RECEIVED THE GOOD NEWS: After a short stay at the hospital, your doctor has decided that you’re medically stable and ready to head home. As you start the discharge process, you’ll want to think ahead to your recovery and be proactive about asking certain questions before you leave the hospital. Not only will this set you up for a healthier future, but it could also lower your chances of readmission.

A 2023 report found an average of 14% of people were readmitted within 30 days of their initial hospital stay. You likely don’t want to head back to the hospital – and your doctors would prefer that you continue your care from home too. That’s because hospital readmission is associated with an increased risk of adverse health outcomes, including increased patient stress and higher mortality rates. Read on to learn more about the hospital discharge process – and 10 questions you should ask your doctor before heading home.

Go Time

Patients often wonder if they can ask to be discharged. The short answer is yes. You can leave the hospital anytime as long as you have the mental capacity to make that decision. (Making the decision to leave without a formal discharge is called AMA, which stands for “against medical advice.”)

The longer answer is that while you can do this, medical professionals do not always recommend it. Even if you feel great now, you still could become ill if you don’t fully understand your treatment plan going forward, says Dr. Renée Rulin, a Pawtucket, Rhode Island-based

family medicine physician.

You could also miss out on results that might determine other medical care you need. For instance, if you leave the hospital before your MRI results come back, you may not get important information on whether or not you need surgery.

Questions Are Encouraged

Yes, the hospital staff is busy, but don’t take that as a sign that they don’t want to help you get your questions answered. Doctors and nurses welcome your questions during the discharge process or any time during your stay, explains

Dr. D. Ruby Sahoo, a member of the Society of Hospital Medicine’s board of directors. They understand that not only will clearing up any confusion now make the rest of your hospital stay easier, but it will also set you up for success post-discharge.

“The more a patient understands, the better equipped they are for healing,” says Dr. Carl Cameron, chief medical officer with MVP Health Care in Schenectady, New York. Plus, when you know the care that you need, you can help prevent a return to the hospital.

Of course, being in the hospital doesn’t exactly put you in an ideal frame of mind to ask questions. You may feel confused or overwhelmed, and if you’re still recovering from surgery or an illness, you may not be mentally prepared to process a slew of new information.

Additionally, some people may simply not feel comfortable questioning their medical providers. It’s completely normal to feel a little shy about asking questions. But know that hospital professionals realize that patients feel this way, and they can work with you to address what you need to know for your discharge.

At most hospitals, the person to answer your health questions will be your attending physician, also known as a hospitalist or a doctor of hospital medicine. This is a primary care doctor who works for the hospital to coordinate care for patients. You can also lean on your nurses, social worker or registered dietitian depending on the type of question you have. The bottom line: If you have questions (like the ones on the next page), don’t hesitate to ask them! Your recovery could depend on it. l

TO ASK BEFORE LEAVING THE HOSPITAL

Work with a family member, trusted friend or caregiver to think of questions you want to have answered. If you’re not sure what to ask, start with these 10. Write down questions (on your phone or on a piece of paper) as you think of them, advises Dr. Sharon Santoso Clark, a director of patient experience in the division of hospital medicine at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus. And take note of your doctor’s responses. Tip: It may be helpful to have that same family member or friend present to jot down notes themselves so you can fully focus on the conversation with your physician.

1

What medications do I need?

Getting a clear understanding of the medications you’ve been prescribed to take during your recovery is a very important part of the discharge process.

Hospital personnel will provide you with written information about your medications, but it’s important to have a verbal discussion about them as well, says Dr. D. Ruby Sahoo. Before you leave the

hospital, ask your doctor if they can take a few minutes to go over your prescription plan. You’ll want to get information about the following:

Dosage instructions Be sure to jot down when and how often to take the medication, how to take it (such as with water or with or without food) and how long you’ll need to take the prescription for.

The exact name of the Rx

Because medications often have a generic name and a brand name, you may not always recognize the name of a medication that you potentially already use. Getting clear on the medication names can help avoid duplicate medication use.

Be aware of possible undesirable effects of using a drug, and ask your doctor what you should do if you notice them. Certain side effects may require you to stop taking the medication entirely. How to get your Rx Some prescriptions may have already been called into a pharmacy, while others may need to be ordered after you’re discharged from the hospital.

or pulmonologist (lung doctor). You’ll want to know if you need to continue to see these specialists going forward. You also may need physical, occupational or speech therapy. Your hospital health care team can let you know exactly what you need and help you identify where to find this care.

6

When should I call a doctor or return to the hospital?

This helps you stay aware of more serious symptoms or medication side effects that require medical care, says Dr. Carl Cameron.

What’s the goal of my

Were

any other diagnoses made during my stay?

7 Do I need any follow-ups?

Taking your medication as prescribed – which is known as medication adherence – is important for your recovery. Understanding why you’re taking a particular medication and how it’s benefiting your recovery could encourage you to stick to your medication schedule post-discharge.

For instance, you may go into the hospital because of a bad asthma attack, but doctors end up diagnosing you with high blood pressure or diabetes. Asking about additional diagnoses will potentially trigger other questions to help your at-home care.

Have you notified my primary care doctor about my admission to the hospital?

You’ll want this person in the loop to help manage your condition once you’re out of the hospital, says Dr. Renée Rulin. And once you leave the hospital, you should see your primary care doctor to help coordinate your care and check on your recovery. Generally speaking, expect to have a follow-up visit with your primary care doctor one to two weeks after your discharge. This could be an in-person or virtual visit

What

If a CT scan found an abnormal growth in your lung, for example, you may need a follow-up scan in a couple of months, Sahoo says. The follow-up scan may get ordered during your stay, or it may just be recommended. The latter means it’s left in your hands to schedule the follow-up, which is why this question is important to ask.

8

How long should I expect my recovery to take?

Some patients will just have a one- or twoday recovery while others may need weeks or months to regain their health. Keep in mind that recovery may take longer if you have other medical problems, such as heart or lung conditions.

9

When should I expect to hear from the home care agency?

If you’re having professional support come to your home to help care for you, knowing when you should expect to hear from them is useful. If you don’t hear from them by that date, you’ll need to follow up to ensure that your appointments are scheduled.

other specialists should I see after my discharge?

Depending on your diagnosis, you may have seen other specialists, such as a cardiologist name use. your or

10

How much will my medication cost after discharge?

Hospital personnel should be able to check on the cost of any medications before you leave the hospital, Santoso Clark says. If you have insurance, these costs are based on your insurance coverage. By finding out these costs in advance, you can make sure they are affordable for you. If they aren’t, your health care team can suggest alternatives or let you know about medication assistance programs. The same applies to covering the cost of equipment you may need, such as a walker or wheelchair. l

Best Diets of 2024

Your goal: to find the plan that will work for you.

by Gretel Schueller ©

N ANY GIVEN DAY, millions of people in the U.S. are trying to lose weight. More than half of Americans reported that they followed a specific eating pattern or diet at some point in the past year, according to the International Food Information Council’s 2023 Food & Health Survey.

OYet, only 20% of dieters will be able to keep their weight off for 12 months. The truth is, dieting is hard. Many fad diets don’t work, and some can even threaten your health. And digging through mounds of information to decipher whether a particular plan lives up to the hype can be overwhelming.

U.S. News Best Diets 2024 cuts through the diet chatter to identify the plans that are most likely to help you reach your goals – whether that’s losing weight, managing a health condition (like high blood pressure or diabetes) or simply wanting to eat healthier. Then, you can decide, in consultation with your doctor or other health professional, which diet is best for you.

Now in its 14th year, U.S. News Best Diets has released its rankings for 30 popular diets across 11 categories based on various criteria, from their healthiness to the likelihood of their helping you lose weight. Many diets, like WeightWatchers, are household names, while others – like the DASH (dietary approaches to stop hypertension) and MIND diets – should be. And for 2024, the health team added six new ranked diets: Dukan diet; Herbalife Nutrition; HMR Program; Profile Plan; Plantstrong; and vegan diet.

We mined medical journals, government reports and other resources and interviewed leading health and nutrition experts to create in-depth profiles for each diet. You can find these detailed profiles at health.usnews.com/bestdiets. Each profile tells you how the diet works, whether its claims are realistic, do’s and don’ts for following each diet and of course, a close look at the food you’d eat, including helpful sample food plans.

We’re not going to tell you what diet you should be on, but we can help lead you to a winner – the best diet for you.

The Methodology

Our Best Diets panelists consists of 43 experts, including medical doctors, registered dietitian nutritionists, nutritional epidemiologists and weight loss researchers who are leaders in their field. They thoroughly evaluated all 30 diets. We worked with The Harris Poll to devise the methodology used in this year’s rankings. When considering Best Diets Overall, panelists considered: nutritional completeness; health risks and benefits; long-term sustainability; and evidence-based effectiveness.

Panelists considered each diet’s strengths and weaknesses and the specific goals each diet might be most effective at addressing, which they shared in openended responses. The Best Diets panelists also shared aspects of each diet they particularly liked or disliked and provided advice for those considering the plan. The latest rankings, which feature everything from the Mediterranean diet to the popular keto diet, can help you find the top plan for you. For the full rankings, go to health.usnews.com/bestdiets. l

How the Plans Compare Overall

Thirty diets were rated from 1 to 5 on multiple measures. Rank is based on a score compiled from panelists’ average scores for each measure. The results:

26

30

How to Choose a Diet

WHETHER YOUR GOAL is weight loss, avoiding or managing diabetes, improving your cardiovascular health or some combination of these, it’s important to be aware of potential diet red flags, such as extreme restrictions in foods or calories. When it comes to die ting to lose weight, lots of people think strictly in terms of foods they need to subtract entirely from their eating regimen. Instead of focusing on giving up sugar or carbs, focus on what you should add to your diet, such as fresh vegetables, whole grains, more seafood or simply more nuts and seeds.

The Best Diets for Your Health Goals

Whatever your reason for wanting to change your diet, one of these science-backed plans will help you find success.

Best FamilyFriendly Diets

These plans are well-suited for families who want to eat healthfully together and flexible for budgetary preferences.

Best Diabetes Diets

These eating plans were found to be the most effective at managing diabetes or prediabetes.

Best Diets for Healthy Eating

These support overall healthy eating, allow for optimal intake of essential nutrients and don’t restrict entire food groups.

Best Weight-Loss Diets

These diets facilitate weight loss at a healthy rate of one to two pounds a week and maintain it for the long term.

Best

Diets

plant-based diets

to those that allow for a flexible mix of

Best Fast Weight-Loss Diets

These diets fulfill the short-term goal of losing weight quickly (in three months or less), even if it’s not sustainable for the long term.

Best Diets for Bone and Joint Health

These eating plans reduce

and include nutrients and vitamins to support

Best Diet Program

This category includes commercial diets with structured programs that offer support for dieters, like coaching and packaged foods.

Best HeartHealthy Diets

These diets are for people who want to improve heart health, from helping control blood pressure to reducing cholesterol.

Worst Foods for Gut Health

If your digestive health is a priority, these foods should be consumed in moderation or skipped entirely.

1. Sugary foods and drinks Excess sugar is one of the worst offenders for gut health. A 2018 study in the journal Nutrients found that mice who were fed a diet high in excess sugar experienced an alteration in the makeup of their gut microbiome as well as increased gut permeability (also known as leaky gut) and increased inflammation. This in turn increased rates of fatty liver disease.

2. Artificial sweeteners If sugar is harmful to gut health, artificial sweeteners should help you avoid that problem, right? Not so fast. Artificial sweeteners (like stevia, aspartame, sucralose and saccharin) are also some of the biggest culprits when it comes to poor gut health. An array of artificial sweeteners pass through the body undigested, which means they can negatively affect the microflora in your gut, says Lisa Jones, a registered dietitian based in Philadelphia.

3. Alcoholic beverages Drinking more than the recommended amount of alcohol (two drinks or less a day for men and one drink or less daily for women) can harm your gut microbiome, Jones says. Research published in the journal Gut Microbes in 2020 suggests that drinking alcohol excessively is also associated with dysbiosis, which occurs when the bacteria in your gastrointestinal tract – including your intestines – become unbalanced.

4. Fried foods Saturated fat, a key feature of fried foods, is hard on the gut, making these foods more difficult for your body to digest compared to fresh fruits and

vegetables, Jones says. “The oils that may be used to fry the food are rich in saturated and trans fats, which can bother your gut,” she explains. This can lead to diarrhea, gas and stomach pain.

5. Red meat While they might be delicious off the grill on a hot summer day, fatty meats like burgers, sausages and hot dogs can all be problematic. “Diets high in red meat and fats are especially bad for gut health,” says Kim Kulp, a registered dietitian nutritionist specializing in gut health and the owner of Gut Health Connection in the San Francisco Bay Area. “When gut microbes feed on red meat, they release an enzyme that can lead to inflammation.”

6. Salty foods Salty foods can also be detrimental to gut health, notes Dr. Edward Salko, a practicing emergency physician in Kennewick, Washington and the medical director of Personalabs, a direct-to-consumer lab testing and telehealth company based in Fort Myers, Florida. “Salty foods cause bloating, fluid retention, headaches and high blood pressure,” he explains, adding that they can also disrupt protein digestion, which can alter how the gut microbiome functions.

7. Ultra-processed foods Ultra-processed foods tend to be high in additives, salt and excess sugar, all of which aren’t great for gut health. They’re also typically low in dietary fiber, which is an important micronutrient for maintaining gut regularity and feeding the beneficial bacteria in our gut. Highly processed foods include bacon, ham, pate and sausage; cakes and cookies; processed lunch meats; and soft drinks.

Best Foods for Gut Health

The best thing to do for your digestive system is focus on a varied, nutritious diet. “Having diversity in your diet can improve the gut microbiota and allow more of the good bacteria to flourish,” explains Amber Core, a registered dietitian at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus. This is especially important if you are taking antibiotics, which can disrupt your gut health and upset the balance of healthy microbes in your gut. Here, three types of gut-happy foods to fill your plate with.

1. Probiotic foods Probiotics are live, health-promoting microbes, mainly bacteria and yeast. Examples of probiotics include lactobacillus (found in fermented foods, such as yogurt), bifidobacterium (found in some dairy products) and saccharomyces boulardii (a type of yeast that’s often found in probiotic supplements).

While probiotics can be sourced from supplements, many (but not all) fermented foods are teaming with probiotics, which can help populate the gut with beneficial microbes. Examples of fermented foods that are rich sources of probiotics include raw sauerkraut, yogurt, kimchi, miso, kefir and kombucha. Make sure to look for a label stating that the product contains live and active cultures. You should also be able to find the full probiotic name on the label.

2. Prebiotic foods Prebiotics, on the other hand, are plant fibers that the healthy bacteria in the gut feed on. When healthy gut bacteria break down prebiotics, they get energy for themselves. This increases their chance of survival in the gut. A diet high in prebiotic foods improves

digestion, supports the immune system and helps with the absorption of nutrients. Prebiotic-rich foods include certain fruits (bananas, raspberries, apples and kiwis); leeks, onions and garlic; beans and legumes; barley and oats; potatoes; asparagus; and flaxseeds.

3. High-fiber foods Good bacteria also love to chomp down on fiber. Fiber is a type of nondigestible carbohydrate that passes through the body without breaking down into its constituent parts. It helps your body regulate how to use sugar and can keep hunger and blood sugar levels in check.

Good sources of fiber include leafy greens, such as spinach and kale; cruciferous vegetables, such as Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and broccoli; beans, peas, lentils and other legumes; apples, pears, grapes and other fresh fruits; prunes, raisins and other dried fruits; avocados; root vegetables, such as potatoes, carrots and beets; whole grains, such as oats, quinoa, brown rice and whole-wheat bread; popcorn; dates; and nuts and seeds.

The Bottom Line

The foods that support gut health generally support overall health, but if you’re having stomach problems, you shouldn’t try to self-treat with food or supplements. Make an appointment to see your doctor if you have significant abdominal pain that occurs frequently or lasts more than a day, unexplained weight loss, changes in bowel habits, blood in your stool or a family history of gastrointestinal illnesses. Together, you can decide on the best treatment course to help your gut and your overall health. l

9 Signs of an Unhealthy Gut

THERE CAN BE many, sometimes subtle, signs that your gut isn’t in balance, including these nine clues.

1. Frequent Stomach Upset

If your stomach often feels upset or you frequently have gas or bloating, that could be a sign that your gut health isn’t optimal.

2. I ntolerance of Certain Foods

Feeling unwell after eating a specific food could point to an intolerance of that item or a component of it, which could be a sign of a problem in the gut.

3. Intense Cravings

Do you suddenly have intense cravings for a specific food? Any changes in cravings could be a sign that your gut needs something to help bring it back into balance.

4. Unintended Weight Fluctuations

Gaining or losing weight without meaning to could point to an underlying issue in the gut. If your gut isn’t functioning optimally, your body may not be absorbing the nutrients it needs, leading to weight changes and potential nutritional deficiencies. You should talk to a health care provider any time your weight changes significantly.

5. Skin Irritations or Autoimmune Disorders

Your specific blend of gut microbiota can affect how well your immune system functions. As a result, a problem with your digestive health can show up as rashes, skin irritations, an autoimmune disor-

der, such as Crohn’s disease, or a thyroid problem.

6. Migraines or Frequent Headaches

If you get a lot of headaches or experience migraines, the problem may be related as much to your gut as to your head. There seems to be a direct line of communication between the gut and the brain, and a disruption in one could lead to problems in the other.

7. Difficulty Sleeping or Excessive Fatigue

If you don’t have a reason to feel more tired than usual, your lack of energy might be related to your gut. Your circadian rhythm – the sleepwake cycle that means you feel tired at night and alert during the day – is regulated in the brain, which is connected to the gut.

8. Irritability or Other Mood Changes

Mood changes can be related to a broad range of problems, but it might be worth looking at your diet and your gastrointestinal health for an underlying cause. With your brain and brain chemistry tied to your gut microbiome, a problem there could lead to mood instability as well as potential shifts in your mental health.

9. Changes in Bathroom Habits

Having trouble going – or going too often? Both constipation and diarrhea can be signs of problems with your gut health. While it’s not uncommon to experience constipation or diarrhea from time to time, if you develop chronic symptoms or can’t seem to find another reason to explain why it’s occurring, your gut microbiome could be to blame.

8 Mind-Blowing Benefits of Exercise

Working out can impact your mental wellbeing in surprising and wonderful ways

by Vanessa Caceres   ©

WHAT DRIVES you to lace up and work out? Maybe you exercise to strengthen and tone. Or perhaps you get moving to help ward off health conditions, like heart disease and diabetes. Or maybe you simply want to have enough energy to keep up with your kids. There are many reasons to prioritize exercising, but here’s one you may not have considered: improving your brain health.

“Exercise is the single best thing you can do for your brain in terms of mood, memory and learning,” says Dr. John Ratey, an associate clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and author of the book, Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain “Even 10 minutes of activity changes your brain.”

So if you haven’t found your “why” for working out yet, keeping your brain in tip-top shape could inspire

you to get moving. Wondering just how you’ll benefit? Read on for eight amazing ways that exercise can boost brain health and makeover your mindset.

Keeps Dementia at Bay

Even mild activity, like a leisurely walk, can help keep your brain fit and active. Physical activity helps to fend off memory loss and keep skills like vocabulary retrieval strong, shows a study published in July 2020 in the journal BMC Geriatrics. And when it comes to dementia, regular exercise is a powerful tool for reducing risk. A 2023 study in the Journal of Sport and Health Science found that adults who replaced 30 minutes per day of sedentary activity with an equal amount of moderate-intensity exercise had up to an 18% decreased risk of developing dementia.

The Alzheimer’s Research Center touts exercise as one of the best weapons against Alzheimer’s disease – the most common dementia type, and

PATIENT POWER

research shows working out can reduce the chance of Alzheimer’s by 45%. So what’s going on when you work up a sweat? Exercise appears to protect the hippocampus, which governs memory and spatial navigation and is one of the first brain regions to succumb to Alzheimer’s-related damage.

Helps Lift Depression and Anxiety

Exercise is certainly not a replacement for other treatments for depression or anxiety, like therapies and medications, but it can be a useful tool for improving mental health conditions.

Indeed, a 2021 randomized trial in the Annals of Family Medicine that compared physical activity with antidepressant drugs in those ages 65 and older found that improvement in depression was similar in both the exercise group and the medication group after one month. Again, not a reason to stop taking prescribed medication (and the results did favor  antidepressant meds over the long term), but study participants still found exercise to be helpful.

Leaves You Feeling Euphoric

Yes, that famous “runner’s high” really does exist, and it’s especially likely to happen if you shift into high-intensity mode. But here’s a surprise: It’s not just for runners.

“You can get a runner’s high without being a runner,” says Angie Winter, a Pittsburgh-based certified mental performance consultant with HigherEchelon, a leadership development company. “You can get it by going for a brisk walk or doing yoga or cardio bootcamp. Just by getting out there and moving, your body releases endorphins – and these endorphins create a feeling of euphoria.”

Sometimes the sensation is subtle or mild, Winter notes. But almost everybody feels more upbeat after a workout.

Improves Learning

It may have been quite some time since you were in the classroom, but that doesn’t mean your days of learning are over – and physical activity could be helpful for keeping your brain sharp. That’s because exercise increases the level of brain chemicals that make new brain cells and establish fresh connections between brain cells.

Interestingly, complicated activities, like playing tennis or taking a dance class, may provide the biggest brain boost. “You challenge your brain even more when you have to think about coordination,” Ratey explains. “Like muscles, you have to stress your brain cells to maintain their health.”

Complex activities also improve our capacity to learn by enhancing attention and concentration skills. In one study, German researchers found

PATIENT POWER

that students ages 13 to 16 scored better on high-attention tasks after doing 10 minutes of a complicated fitness routine compared with 10 minutes of regular activity.

Fosters Confidence

Putting yourself – and your fitness goals – toward the top of your to-do list could help improve how you view yourself. “When my clients witness improvements in their cardiovascular endurance and stamina through aerobic exercise or increased muscle mass from their strength training, they naturally experience a boost in self-esteem and self-confidence,” says Meghan Kennihan, a certified personal trainer and running coach based in La Grange, Illinois.

Research backs this up. One 2016 study in the journal Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment found that physical activity is associated with higher self-esteem in adults. Plus, the researchers explain that developing strength and muscle tone and improving flexibility, coordination and balance can help people feel more physically competent, which can in turn improve body image. We can all agree that’s a win-win!

Clears Your Mind

Most of us have dozens of thoughts careening through our minds at any given time. In fact, research shows that the average adult makes 35,000 conscious decisions each day. This can become overwhelming, but working out may help channel your energy and focus elsewhere. “Exercise can refresh and recharge your mindset,” Winter says. When you get moving, your heart and breathing rate increase, your blood starts pumping faster, and your attention is focused on what you’re doing, not your to-do list or roster of worries.

Meanwhile, the body releases hormones, such as energizing endorphins and calming serotonin, while reducing stress-related cortisol levels. “There are some really good physiological things happening in the body,” Winter explains. “And that’s on top of creating that mental space for us to just be in the present moment.”

you enjoy doing. The best workout is the one

Slows the Aging Process

Want to not only feel younger but also be physically younger? Exercise could help make this fountain - of - youth dream a reality. That’s because it can help reverse the toll stress has on the aging process. Being highly active may reduce aging at the cellular level by up to nine years, according to a 2017 Brigham Young University study.

After looking at nearly 6,000 U.S. adults, researchers at Brigham Young found that highly active participants had the least signs of chromosomal aging (to be considered highly active, women had to jog at least 30 minutes daily and men had to jog at least 40 minutes daily, five days a week). In comparison, both moderately active participants and those with sedentary lifestyles had significantly shorter telomeres – the DNA bookends on each chromosome that are associated with cellular aging.

Boosts the Fun Factor

Don’t love the gym? Not everyone likes to work out indoors with machinery, and that’s fine! Physical activity doesn’t need to be limited to treadmills and weights, and if that’s not what you’re into, it’s okay to sit the gym out.

Experts say it’s best to find an activity you enjoy, since it could help you stick with your workout program. So think about what sort of movement you actually have fun doing. “The best exercise is the one we like to do,” says Camila Buonani da Silva, head of the sports research group in the department of physical education at Sao Paulo State University in Brazil. And these fun workouts can have big pay-offs. Dancing, for example, has been shown to sharpen balance and agility, lessen dementia risk and improve cardiovascular and bone health. “In addition, it’s a practice that promotes socialization and can easily be included in people’s routines,” says Buonani da Silva.

If dancing isn’t your thing, maybe you’d prefer hiking, playing beach volleyball or taking a rejuvenating yoga class. The goal is to find a form of movement that you find fun and can see yourself doing for years to come. l

In surgery at Mayo Clinic BRETT ZIEGLER FOR USN&WR

Best Hospitals

HONOR ROLL

2024-25

The 20 hospitals recognized on the Honor Roll excel in treating patients with complex diagnoses as well as those with relatively routine needs. Selection for the Honor Roll is based on points, which hospitals received for strong rankings and ratings. Hospitals that earned at least 280 out of 531 possible points made this year’s list. Each hospital on the 2024-2025 Best Hospitals Honor Roll, listed below in alphabetical order, is nationally ranked in nine or more of the 15 Best Hospitals specialties and is rated “high performing” in most of 20 common procedures and conditions (see Page 181 and health.usnews.com/best-hospitals).

Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles

Cleveland Clinic

Duke University Hospital, Durham, North Carolina

Hospitals of the University of Pennsylvania-Penn Presbyterian, Philadelphia

Houston Methodist Hospital

Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore

Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston

Mayo Clinic-Arizona, Phoenix

Mayo Clinic-Rochester, Minnesota

Mount Sinai Hospital, New York

New York-Presbyterian Hospital-Columbia and Cornell

North Shore University Hospital at Northwell Health, Manhasset, New York

Northwestern Medicine-Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago

NYU Langone Hospitals, New York

Rush University Medical Center, Chicago

Stanford Health Care-Stanford Hospital, Stanford, California

UC San Diego Health-La Jolla and Hillcrest Hospitals, San Diego

UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles

UCSF Health-UCSF Medical Center, San Francisco

A Guide to the Rankings

How we identified 160 outstanding hospitals in 15 specialties

by Ben Harder  ©

OR MORE THAN three decades, the mission of the U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals rankings has been to help guide patients, in consultation with their doctors, to the appropriate place when they need a high level of specialty care. These are patients whose surgery or condition is complex, or whose advanced age, physical infirmity or existing medical condition limits their options.

FSuch people account for a small fraction of hospital patients, but they add up to millions of individuals – and many hospitals may not be able to meet their needs. A hospital ranked by U.S. News in cancer, say, is likely to have the expertise and capability to enroll an elderly patient with a metastatic tumor into a clinical trial for an unproven but innovative treatment.

Some community hospitals can also provide access to such experimental therapies. But not all.

The following pages offer hospital rankings in 15 different specialties, from cancer to urology. Of more than 4,500 hospitals evaluated by U.S. News this year, only 160 performed well enough to be ranked in any specialty.

In 12 of these 15 specialties, analysis of objective data from the federal government and other sources generated the main factors determining whether a hospital was ranked. To capture medical experts’ opinions, we also factored in results from annual surveys of specialist physicians who were asked to name hospitals they consider best in their specialty at handling difficult cases.

Hospitals in the other three specialties (ophthalmology, psychiatry and rheumatology) were ranked solely on the basis

Progress happens together

Cedars-Sinai is proud to be ranked #1 in California*, #1 in Los Angeles* and named in U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Hospitals 2024-2025” Honor Roll for the ninth consecutive year. We thank our physicians, nurses, academic leaders and countless others who strive for progress every single day.

Specialties ranked in the top 10 nationally:

Gastroenterology & GI Surgery (#2)

Obstetrics & Gynecology (#5)

Orthopedics (#5)

Pulmonology & Lung Surgery (#5)

Cardiology, Heart & Vascular Surgery (#6)

Diabetes & Endocrinology (#9)

Neurology & Neurosurgery (#9, tied)

*Tied in “Best Hospitals” rankings

No hospital is best for every patient.

of the annual physician surveys, because reliable objective data aren’t available for those areas of care.

Based on input from experts and medical studies, we have revised the ranking methodologies over time to make the rankings even more useful to consumers. This year, for example, the rankings include data on the outcomes hospitals achieved for patients insured by commercial Medicare plans.

Beyond the specialty rankings, a set of hospital ratings gives patients information about which hospitals excel in specific procedures, such as hip replacement, or in caring for patients with certain conditions, such as heart attack. Hospital performance in these

procedures and conditions can be found in the Best Regional Hospitals rankings (Page 181), which are designed to help consumers identify hospitals with expertise in numerous areas of care. If you want to learn more, additional detail is available at health.usnews.com/best-hospitals.

To be considered for ranking in most specialties, a hospital had to meet any of four criteria. It had to either: be a teaching hospital; be affiliated with a medical school; have at least 200 beds; or have at least 100 beds and offer at least four out of eight advanced medical technologies.

The hospitals next had to meet a volume requirement in each specialty – a minimum number of Medicare inpatients from 2020 to 2022 who received certain procedures and treatment for specific conditions. A hospital that fell short was still eligible if nominated in the specialty by at least 1% of physicians responding to the expert opinion survey.

At the end of the process, 2,287 hospitals remained candidates for ranking in at least one specialty. Each received a U.S. News score of 0 to 100 based on the four elements, described below. Then, the top 50 hospitals in each specialty were ranked. Scores and data for the rest are at usnews.com. The four elements and their weights in most specialties are: Patient outcomes (45%): Success at keeping patients alive and getting them home was judged by the proportion of Medicare inpatients with certain conditions in 2020, 2021 and 2022 who died within 30 days of hospital admission or were discharged to another health care facility. Both of these rates were adjusted to account for the severity of patients’ illnesses and the complexity of their care as well as risk-elevating factors such as advanced age, obesity, high blood pressure and poverty (as reflected by whether they received Medicaid).

A widely used approach to so-called risk adjustment was employed to adjust each patient’s risk in calculating odds of a good outcome. To avoid penalizing institutions receiving the sickest patients, we excluded patients transferred in from another hospital from our analysis. A score of 5 indicates the best chance of survival or discharge to home (and 1 the worst) relative to other hospitals.

In three specialties where same-day (a.k.a. outpatient) surgery is common, a third outcome – potentially preventable complications following outpatient surgery – also factored in the rankings.

Patient experience (5%): Most hospitals are required to assess patients’ satisfaction with their experience using a survey known as the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems, or HCAHPS. The score reflects how many patients had a positive overall experience during hospitalization.

Other care-related indicators (35%): The balance of patients per nurse and the hospital’s number of patients – an indicator of its degree of experience in a specialty – are examples of these factors.

Expert opinion (12 - 15%): Specialists were asked to name up to five hospitals that they consider best in their area of expertise for patients with the most difficult medical problems. In the 2023 survey alone, responses were tallied from more than 31,000 physicians.

The figures shown in the tables under “% of specialists recommending hospital” are the average percentages of specialists in 2022, 2023 and 2024 who recommended a hospital. In rehabilitation, expert opinion carried a weight of 30%. In the three specialties based entirely on expert opinion, a hospital had to be cited by at least 5% of responding physicians in the last three years of U.S. News surveys in order to be ranked.

Transparency (3%): In four specialties, hospitals are rewarded for participating in nationwide programs that measure their performance and opting to transparently share results with the public.

If you’ve consulted past editions of this U.S. News Best Hospitals guidebook, you may notice that a particular hospital you’re considering has risen or fallen in the rankings. A decline shouldn’t automatically be interpreted as a decline in performance; rather, it may be because of changes to the methodology or because other hospitals improved.

The bottom line is that no hospital – no matter how excellent – is best for every single patient. You’ll want to add your own fact-gathering to ours and consult with your doctor or other health professional as you weigh your options for where to go to get your care. l

A Glossary of Terms

CARF: Accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities International as of Jan. 2, 2024. Completion of care rate: How often a hospital avoids needing to transfer patients to an acute-care hospital during their rehabilitation.

Discharge to home score: Reflects proportion of patients who, at discharge, went home rather than to a nursing home or other facility.

FACT accreditation level: Hospital meets Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy standards as of Jan. 16, 2024 for harvesting and transplanting stem cells from a patient’s own bone marrow and tissue (level 1) and from a donor (level 2) to treat cancer.

Flu vaccination rate: Percentage of hospital’s staff who received a seasonal flu vaccine.

NAEC epilepsy center: Designated by the National Association of Epilepsy Centers as of March 15, 2024 as a regional or national referral facility (level 4) for staffing, technology and training in epilepsy care.

NCI cancer center: Designated by the National Cancer Institute as of Jan. 19, 2024 as a clinical or comprehensive cancer hospital.

NIA Alzheimer’s center: Designated by the National Institute on Aging as of Jan. 13, 2024 as an Alzheimer’s Disease Center, indicating high quality of research and clinical care.

Number of patients: Except in rehabilitation, estimated number of Medicare patients in 2020, 2021 and 2022 who received certain high-level care as defined by U.S. News. Based on an adjustment to the number of such patients with traditional Medicare insurance. In obstetrics and gynecology and ear, nose and throat, inpatients and outpatients were included; in other specialties, only inpatients. In geriatrics, only patients ages 75 and older were included. In rehabilitation, only patients treated in 2022 were included.

A Nurse Magnet hospital: Recognized by the American Nurses Credentialing Center as of Dec. 31, 2023 for nursing excellence.

Nurse staffing score: Relative balance of nonsupervisory registered nurses (inpatient and outpatient) to average daily number of all patients. Inpatient staffing receives greater weight. Agency and temporary nurses are not counted. Outpatient outcome score: Reflects proportion of patients who experienced

a potentially preventable complication following outpatient surgery.

Patient experience: Percentage of patients who responded positively to a survey about overall quality of their stay.

Patient services score: Number of services offered out of the number considered important to quality (such as genetic testing in cancer and an Alzheimer’s center in geriatrics).

% of specialists recommending hospital: Percentage of physicians responding to U.S. News surveys in 2022, 2023 and 2024 who named the hospital as among the best in their specialty for especially challenging cases and procedures, setting aside location and cost.

Transparency score: Indicates whether hospital publicly reports its performance through the American College of Cardiology, the American Heart Association and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (in cardiology and heart surgery), the American Heart Association (in neurology and neurosurgery) or the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (in pulmonology and lung surgery), and whether hospital completed a U.S. News survey about maternity care (in obstetrics & gynecology).

Rank: Based on U.S. News score except in ophthalmology, psychiatry and rheumatology, where specialist recommendations determined rank.

Readmission prevention rate: How often a hospital keeps patients from being readmitted to an acute-care hospital within the 30 days following discharge.

Successful discharge rate: How often patients go directly home from this hospital and remain at home, rather than requiring further institutional care.

Survival score: Reflects patient survival rate in the specialty within 30 days of admission.

Technology score: Reflects availability of technologies considered important to a high quality of care, such as PET/CT scanner in pulmonology and diagnostic radioisotope services in urology.

Trauma center: Indicates a Level 1 or 2 trauma center. Such a center can care properly for the most severe injuries.

U.S. News score: Summary of quality of hospital inpatient care. In most specialties, survival is worth 36%, discharge to home 9%, operational quality data such as nurse staffing and patient volume 35%, specialists’ recommendations 15% and patient experience 5%.

BEST HOSPITALS

UCSF MEDICAL CENTER, RANKED NO. 7

(CONTINUED ON PAGE 108)

A TOP 5 Hospital for Cancer Care

Cardiology, Heart & Vascular Surgery

Guy’s heart stopped twice. Back coaching days later.

“I technically died, and here I am. I’m incredibly lucky. I could not have been in better hands.”

—Guy Monseair, City Island Rowing Coach

“We had an immediate critical decision to make in the race to save Guy’s life. We decided to proceed with emergent quadruple coronary artery bypass surgery despite Guy’s swollen and weak heart resulting from his acute heart attack and cardiac arrest. There are very few health systems in the country with the knowledge base and the skill that we have at Montefiore Einstein for managing these kinds of complex life-threatening conditions.”

—Robert Michler, MD Surgeon-in-Cheif and Chair Surgery and Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery Montefiore Einstein

See Guy’s heart story at montefiore.org/guy

NORTHEAST

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center

Rockville, MD

Kevin Richman, MS, AACC

Dennis Friedman, MD, FACC

Bayhealth Hospital, Kent Campus Dover, DE

Benjamin Louis Collins, MBA, BSN, RN, AACC

Roberto Scaffidi, MD, FACC

Bayshore Medical Center

Holmdel, NJ

Cristina Chonko, AGPCNP-BC, AACC

Shaddy Younan, MD, FACC

ChristianaCare Christiana Hospital Health Services Newark, DE

Jennifer Oldham, MSN, RN, CEN, AACC

Neil Wimmer, MD, MSc, FACC

Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center

Johnstown, PA

Sarah Vasilko, PA-C, AACC

Dinesh Sharma, MD, FACC

Hackensack University Medical Center Hackensack, NJ

Tammy Russo, ACNP, AACC

Vaidya J. Pranaychandra, MD, FACC

Jefferson Einstein Philadelphia Hospital Philadelphia, PA

Yolanda Nixon, ACNP-BC, CRNP, MSN, AACC

Sumeet K. Mainigi, MD, FACC

Jersey Shore University Medical Center Neptune, NJ

Jennifer Heck-Kanellidis, DNP, APN-C, HNP, BSN, RN, AACC

Brett Sealove, MD, FACC

JFK University Medical Center Edison, NJ

Charyl Asuncion, AGPCNP-BC, MSN, AACC

Saleem Husain, MD, FACC

Lawrence General Hospital Lawrence, MA

Kathy Caredeo, RN, BSN, MM, AACC

Sunit Mukherjee, MD, FACC

Ocean University Medical Center Brick, NJ

Jennifer Heck-Kanellidis, DNP, APN-C, HNP, BSN, RN, AACC

Ali Moosvi, MD, FACC

2024 Recognizing Great Achievements

The American College of Cardiology applauds the hospitals and health care facilities that achieve the HeartCARE Center distinction and the work of the CV champions who provide leadership in this great accomplishment.

The unwavering support of the many dedicated physicians and care team members, including credentialed Fellows and Associates of the ACC, is essential to each HeartCARE Center achievement.

To further spotlight this achievement, the Find Your Heart a Home tool located on CardioSmart.org includes the mention of the HeartCARE Center award as part of an awarded hospital’s profile.

Penn Medicine Chester County Hospital

West Chester, PA

Ralph Smith, RN, BSN, AACC

Timothy Boyek, MD, FACC

Regional Hospital of Scranton

Scranton, PA

Debra Jadick, NP, AACC

Thomas Dzwonczyk, MD, FACC

Riverview Medical Center

Red Bank, NJ

Elvira Baquerizo, MSN, MBA, APN, NP-C, CCRN, AACC

Ravi Diwan, MD, FACC

St. Francis Hospital and Heart Center

Roslyn, NY

Kristin Michele Pasquarello, MPAS, PA-C, AACC

Thomas W. Pappas, MD, FACC

UPMC Altoona

Altoona, PA

Kristi Montrella, ACNP-BC, AACC

George Jabbour, MD, FACC

Wynn Hospital

Utica, NY

Stephanie Mathias, BSN, RN, CCRN, AACC

Hugh MacIsaac, MD, FACC

MIDWEST

Bryan Medical Center

Lincoln, NE

Sarah Schroeder, PhD, ACNP-BC, AACC

John Allen Steuter, MD, FACC

Corewell Health Grand Rapids Hospital

Grand Rapids, MI

John J. Mulder, MPAS, AACC

Ryan Madder, MD, FACC

Lutheran Hospital

Fort Wayne,IN

Megan Trotter, FNP-C, AACC

Vijay Chilakamarri, MD, FACC

Northwest Health - Porter

Valparaiso, IN

Jacob Swider, RN-BC, RCIS, AACC

Sandeep Sehgal, MD, MPH, FACC

SOUTH

AdventHealth Carrollwood

Tampa, FL

Tracy Berg, ARNP, AACC

Humberto Coto, MD, FACC

AdventHealth Dade City

Dade City, FL

Deborah Moore, MSN, RCIS, RN, AACC Aung Tun, MBBS, FACC

AdventHealth North Pinellas

Tarpon Springs, FL

Belinda Michelle Spahn, BSN, CCRN, AACC

Norman S. Abbott, MD, FACC

AdventHealth Ocala

Ocala, FL

Lynn Smith, RN, MBA, MHA, AACC

Robert L. Feldman, MD, FACC

AdventHealth Sebring

Sebring, FL

Yesica Torres, BSN, RN, CHFN, AACC

Deepti Bhandare, MD, FACC

AdventHealth Tampa, Pepin Heart Institute

Tampa, FL

Tracie Hughes, BSN, RN, CCRN-K, AACC

Charles R. Lambert, MD, PhD, MBA, FACC

AdventHealth Wesley Chapel

Wesley Chapel, FL

Allison K. Sutton, APRN, FNP-C, AACC

Asad Sawar, MBBS, FACC

AdventHealth Zephyrhills Zephyrhills, FL

Deborah Moore, MSN, RCIS, RN, AACC Aung Tun, MBBS, FACC

Augusta Health Fishersville, VA

Willie Roden, MBA, BSN, RN, AACC

Shalendra K. Varma, MD, FACC

Baptist Health Lexington Lexington, KY

Megan Switzer, MSN, APRN, AACC

Azhar Aslam, MD, FACC

Baptist Health Paducah Paducah, KY

Blair Brockman, NP, AACC

Craig Beavers, PharmD, FACC

Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center Houston, TX

Seth Stephens, ACNP-BC, APRN, CPHQ, DNP, AACC

Emerson C. Perin, MD, FACC

Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital Roanoke, VA

Sheree Emore, MSN, FNP-BC, AACC

Gregory Dehmer, MD, MACC

CarolinaEast Medical Center

New Bern, NC

Laura Peters, BS, RT, AACC

Alex Kirby, MD, FACC

CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital - Tyler Tyler, TX

Jamie Moore, BSN, RN, AACC

Clyde Fagg Sanford, MD, FACC

CHRISTUS Ochsner St. Patrick Hospital

Lake Charles, LA

Anna C. Landry, NP, AACC

Michael C. Turner, MD, FACC

CHRISTUS St. Frances Cabrini Hospital Alexandria, LA

Erika D. McCormick, BSN, RN, CCRN, AACC

Reymond Meadaa, MD, FACC

Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital Vero Beach, FL

Kimberly Nance, RN, BSN, CPHQ, AACC

James Wudel, MD, FACC

Hillcrest Hospital South Tulsa, OK

Brian Smith, MS, RCIS, RT, ARRT, AACC

Stanley Kyle Zimmerman, MD, FACC

Jackson-Madison County General Hospital Jackson, TN

Dylan Wilson, BCPS, PharmD, AACC

John W. Baker, MD, FACC

Kings Daughters Medical Center Ashland, KY

Kristy Turley, APRN, AACC

Jerry White, DO, FACC

Lexington Medical Center West Columbia, SC

Dawn C. Crumpton, BSN, RN, AACC

Robert Malanuk, MD, FACC

Methodist Hospital Texsan San Antonio, TX

Michael K. Hendricks, MBA, RN, AACC

Obinna G. Isiguzo, MBBS, FACC

Methodist Le Bonheur Germantown Hospital Germantown, TN

John Cigna, BS, CVT, MBA, RTR, AACC

Brian Borkowski, MD, FACC

Methodist University Hospital Memphis, TN

Leesa J. Wright, RN, AACC

Oluwaseun Akinseye, MD, FACC

Mon Health Medical Center

Morgantown, WV

Elizabeth Carpenter, CCRN, AACC

Bradford E. Warden, MD, FACC

Norton Audubon

Louisville, KY

Robert Rogers, APRN, AACC

Sharma Manish, MD, FACC

Novant New Hanover Regional Medical Center

Wilmington, NC

Megan A. Whitley-Herrington, PA-C, AACC

John Rommel, MD, FACC

Our Lady of The Lake Regional Medical Center

Baton Rouge, LA

Dawn Denicola, FNP-C, AACC

Denzil Moraes, MD, MB, BCh, FACC

Spartanburg Medical Center

Spartanburg, SC

Jennifer T. Smith, MSN, RN, CVN, AACC

Nalin Srivastava, MD, FACC

St. Luke’s Health Memorial Hospital

Lufkin, TX

Jamie Huckabee, FNP-C, AACC

Ravinder Bachireddy, MD, FACC

Texoma Medical Center

Denison, TX

Lisa Smith, MSN, RN, NE-BC, AACC

Scott Turner, DO, FACC

The Hospitals of Providence Sierra Campus

El Paso, TX

Laura Ann Wilson, AGACNP-BC, CCK, AACC

Edward Assi, MD, FACC

Woodland Heights Medical Center

Lufkin, TX

Richard Fennell, BSN, CCRN, AACC

Vivek Mangla, MD, FACC

WVU Medicine Camden - Clark Medical Center

Parkersburg, WV

Kristina Brooks, DNP, AACC

David Gnegy, MD, FACC

WEST

Adventist Health and Rideout Hospital

Marysville, CA

Eric Cooper, BSN, MPA, NE-BC, RN, BC, AACC

Babek Sanei-Fard, MD, FACC

Adventist Health Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA

Diwata Somera, MSN, RN, CCRN-CMC, AACC

Mehta Viral, MD, FACC

Billings Clinic

Billings, MT

Joslyn Thompson, NP-C, AACC

Claudia Lama Von Buchwald, MD, FACC

Eisenhower Health Medical Center

Rancho Mirage, CA

Sheenah Fernandez, CCRN, MSN, RN, AACC

Philip Patel, MD, FACC

El Camino Health

Mountain View, CA

Kaye Jaramillo, CNS, AACC

Chad Rammohan, MD, FACC

Loma Linda University Medical Center

Loma Linda, CA

Denise Petersen, DNP, FNP-BC, CHFN, AACC

Liset Stoletniy, MD, FACC

Medical Center of Aurora

Aurora, CO

Karen Welter, ACNS-BC, AACC

Christopher Paul Porterfield, MD, FACC

National Jewish Hospital

/Intermountain Health Saint Joseph Hospital

Denver, CO

Dawn Eckler, MSN, NP-C, AACC

Jake Chanin, MD, FACC

Renown Regional Medical Center

Reno, NV

Jocelyn Anderson, MMS, PA-C, AACC

Troy Wiedenbeck, MD, FACC

Rose Medical Center

Denver, CO

Lauren Meehan, MSN, AACC

Michael Wahl, MD, FACC

Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center

Reno, NV

Jeremy T. Shea, BSN, CVRN-BC, RN, AACC

Frank Carrea, MD, FACC

UCHealth Memorial Hospital Central Colorado Springs, CO

Dawn G. Lovejoy, BSN, RN, AACC

Chris Michael Manhart, DO, FACC

Cardiology, Heart & Vascular Surgery

Diabetes  &  Endocrinology

5

50

Ear, Nose & Throat

45

49

Gastroenterology &  GI Surgery

5

50

Geriatrics

Neurology  &  Neurosurgery

8

Obstetrics & Gynecology

22

50

Experiencethe PatientConnect Advantage

Superchargeyourpatientacquisitioneffortlessly withPatientConnect.Withtheclickofabutton, effortlesslydirectpatientsintoyourexisting schedulingchannels,offeringthemthe convenienceofbookingappointmentsattheir fingertips.Reach12millionmonthlyvisitors seekingspecialistsonU.S.NewsandDoximity, andwatchyourpracticethrive.

Tolearnmore,scantheQRcodebelow.

Orthopedics BEST HOSPITALS

MAYO CLINIC-ROCHESTER, RANKED NO.

ON PAGE 126)

#1 IN ORTHOPEDICS IN THE U.S.

15 YEARS IN A ROW.

HSS is proud to be officially named the nation’s best orthopedic provider for 15 years in a row, according to U.S News & World Report. Our specialized doctors, dedicated staff and state-of-the-art facilities will get you moving and living better, with the highest success rates for orthopedic procedures in the nation, and among the best in maintaining patient health post-surgery.

CHOOSE BETTER MOVE BETTER

Orthopedics

46

50

THE BEST HOSPITALS AND PRACTICES OWN THE BONE

The American Orthopaedic Association applauds the following institutions for their achievements and participation in the Own the Bone® quality improvement program:

STAR PERFORMERS

AdventHealth Orthopedic Institute, Central Florida Division - Orlando, FL

Advocate Christ Medical Center - Oak Lawn, IL

Allegheny Health Network (AHN)Jefferson Hospital - Jefferson Hills, PA

Allina Health-Buffalo Hospital - Buffalo, MN

AtlantiCare Regional Medical CenterGalloway, NJ

Atrium Health MSKI Fracture Prevention Program - Charlotte, NC

Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center - Winston Salem, NC

Baptist Orthopedic Hospital at Mission TrailSan Antonio, TX

* Baton Rouge Orthopaedic Clinic - Baton Rouge, LA

Berkshire Medical Center - Pittsfield, MA

Bryan Medical Center - Lincoln, NE

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center - Los Angeles, CA

Cleveland Clinic Akron General Osteoporosis and Bone Health Center - Akron, OH

Coastal Orthopedic & Spine InstituteCamarillo, CA

Concord Hospital Orthopaedic InstituteConcord, NH

Connecticut Orthopedic Institute's Bone Health Program at St. Vincent's Medical Center - Bridgeport, CT

Cooper Bone and Joint Institute - Camden, NJ

Crystal Clinic Orthopaedic Center - Akron, OH

Firelands Physician Group - Sandusky Orthopedics and Pain ManagementSandusky, OH

Froedtert & the Medical College of WisconsinMilwaukee, WI

* Grady Health System - Atlanta, GA

Hartford HealthCare Bone and Joint InstituteHartford, CT

Henry Ford Hospital - Detroit, MI

Hoag Orthopedic Institute - Irvine, CA

Huntington Hospital - Northwell HealthHuntington, NY

Johnson City Medical Center Hospital (BalladHealth) - Johnson City, TN

Institutions are recognized for at least 75% compliance on at least 5 of the 10 recommended secondary fracture prevention measures over the last year.

JPS Health Network - Fort Worth, TX

Lahey Hospital and Medical CenterBurlington, MA

Lexington Medical Center - West Columbia, SC

Loyola Medicine - Maywood, IL

Luminis Health - Annapolis, MD

MaineGeneral Orthopaedics - Augusta, ME

Marshfield Clinic Health System - Marshfield, WI

Medical University of South CarolinaCharleston, SC

Memorial Regional Hospital - Hollywood, FL

Mendelson Kornblum Orthopedic & Spine Specialists - Warren, MI

Mount Sinai South Nassau - Oceanside, NY

* Nephrology Associates, SC - Waukesha, WI

NMC Health Orthopedics & Sports SpecialistsNewton, KS

North Central Baptist Hospital - San Antonio, TX

Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical CenterBangor, ME

Norton Women's and Children's HospitalLouisville, KY

NYU Langone Hospital- Long Island - Mineola, NY

NYU Langone Orthopedic Hospital - New York, NY

OhioHealth Orthopedic & Sports Medicine

Physicians - Mansfield Hospital - Columbus, OH

Orthopaedic Associates of MichiganGrand Rapids, MI

^Orthopedic Associates of SW Ohio - Dayton, OH

Overlake Medical Center & ClinicsBellevue, WA

^Park Nicollet Methodist Hospital/TRIA

Orthopaedic Center - Minneapolis, MN

^Prisma Health-Upstate - Greenville, SC

ProHealth Waukesha Memorial HospitalWaukesha, WI

ProMedica Toledo Hospital - Toledo, OH

Regions Hospital - St. Paul, MN

Resolute Baptist Hospital - New Braunfels, TX

^Sanford Medical Center - Fargo - Fargo, ND

South Texas Fracture Prevention ClinicSan Antonio, TX

Spartanburg Regional Healthcare SystemSpartanburg, SC

SSM Health Dean Medical Group OrthopedicsMadison, WI

St. Luke's Health System Osteoporosis and Bone Health Program - Boise, ID

St. Peter's Health - Helena, MT

Tahoe Forest Health System - Truckee, CA

Tallahassee Memorial HealthCareTallahassee, FL

The Bone and Joint Center - Albany, NY

The Bone and Joint Center at AdventHealth Zephyrhills - Zephyrhills, FL

The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics, Mid-Maryland Musculoskeletal Institute (MMI) - Frederick, MD

The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics, Orthopaedic Associates of Central Maryland Division (CAO/OACM) - Catonsville, MD

The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center - Columbus, OH

^The Queen's Medical Center - Honolulu, HI

The University of Texas at AustinUT Health Austin - Austin, TX

TSAOG Orthopaedics and SpineSan Antonio, TX

University Hospital - San Antonio, TX

University of Chicago - Chicago, IL

University of Cincinnati - Cincinnati, OH

University of Iowa Health Care Department of Orthopaedics - Iowa City, IA

^University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center- Dallas, TX

University of Wisconsin Hospitals and ClinicsMadison, WI

UT Health East Texas Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Institute - Tyler, TX

VCU Health - Richmond, VA

* WVU Medicine - Wheeling HospitalWheeling, WV

^WVU Medicine Department of OrthopaedicsMorgantown, WV

^Yale New Haven Hospital Fragility Hip Fracture Program - New Haven, CT

NEWLY ENROLLED INSTITUTIONS

All Florida Orthopaedic Associates, a division of Florida Orthopaedic Institute - St. Petersburg, FL

Cox Medical Center SouthSpringfield, MO

Duke Raleigh Hospital - Raleigh, NC

Duke Regional Hospital - Durham, NC

Duke University Health SystemDurham, NC

Fondren Orthopedic Group, a Division of OrthoLoneStarHouston, TX

University of Missouri - Columbia Department of Orthopaedic SurgeryColumbia, MO

Virtua Marlton Hospital - Evesham, NJ

Virtua Mount Holly HospitalMount Holly, NJ

Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes HospitalCamden, NJ

Virtua Voorhees HospitalVoorhees Township, NJ

Virtua Willingboro HospitalWillingboro, NJ

Pulmonology  &  Lung Surgery

4

45,625 DAYS.

1,095,000 HOURS.

65,700,000 MINUTES.

1,051,200,000 BREATHS.

The leading respiratory hospital in the nation is celebrating one billion breaths — also known as 125 years.

Since 1899, National Jewish Health has brought researchers and doctors together to innovate and deliver groundbreaking discoveries and life-changing care to people with respiratory, cardiac, immune and related disorders.

Our multi-specialty, coordinated care has set the standard to achieve extraordinary outcomes and improve the lives of children and adults from the very beginning. And, we’re ready for the next 125 years.

To learn more or make an appointment, call 800.621.0505 or visit njhealth.org.

Pulmonology  &  Lung Surgery

Paul Rivera got a new lung and a new

Paul was one of those hardworking citizens who keep our fair city going. But then he got struck with pulmonary fibrosis, probably as a result of chemical exposure on the job. It was untreatable; his only hope was a lung transplant. And only one hospital, Montefiore Einstein, showed up to help. They got Paul a new lung, and they gave him a new life. See Paul’s Story at MontefioreEinstein.org/PaulRivera

Rehabilitation

Urology

1

6

These hospitals are among the best in their specialty for particularly challenging patients, in the view of at least 5% of medical specialists surveyed by U.S. News over the past three years.

Ophthalmology

1 Bascom Palmer Eye Institute-U. of Miami Hospital & Clinics

2 Wills Eye Hospital, Thomas Jefferson U. Hospitals, Philadelphia

3 Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore 19.6%

4 Mass Eye and Ear, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston

5 Stein and Doheny Eye Institutes, UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles

6 University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City

7 Duke University Hospital, Durham, N.C.

8 University of Michigan Health Kellogg Eye Center, Ann Arbor 8.0%

9 Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic

10 John A. Moran Eye Center, U. of Utah Hosps. & Clinics, Salt Lake City 5.1%

Psychiatry

Rheumatology

Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston

5 Mayo Clinic-Rochester, Minn.

6 Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston

7 UCSF Health-UCSF Medical Center, San Francisco

8 UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles

9 NYU Langone Hospitals, New York

10 University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital

University of Michigan Health-Ann Arbor

Best Hospitals for Maternity Care

U.S. News’ ratings identified 311 centers that excel

When it comes to maternity care for uncomplicated pregnancies, the best hospitals achieve safe outcomes, offer sound care without performing unnecessary interventions and support patients who choose to breastfeed. The hospitals listed here excel in these respects. To identify them, we surveyed maternity centers across the nations and obtained detailed data from nearly 700. As always, we recommend consulting with your doctor when deciding which hospital to use.

CALIFORNIA

continued

*Vaginal birth after cesarean. **Neonatal intensive care unit. (-) indicates information is not available. Hospital Newborn

BEST HOSPITALS FOR MATERNITY CARE

CONNECTICUT

COLUMBIA

FLORIDA

INDIANA

KENTUCKY

MASSACHUSETTS

BEST HOSPITALS FOR MATERNITY CARE

Ctr. at Hackensack Meridian Hlth., Manahawkin

NORTH CAROLINA

NORTH CAROLINA continued

OHIO

OKLAHOMA

OREGON

PENNSYLVANIA

Valley Hospital-Cedar

BEST HOSPITALS FOR MATERNITY CARE

TEXAS continued

Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital, Roanoke

WYOMING

Newborn complication rate (lower is better)

C-section rate (lower is better) Episiotomy rate (lower is better)

Early delivery rate (lower is better)

Breastfeeding rate (higher is better)

VBAC* rate (higher is better) Reported

Children’s Health Children’s Health

What parents need to know about protecting their kids’ physical and mental well-being

What parents need to know about protecting their kids’ physical and mental well-being

Kids’ Food Allergies: A Racial Divide

The consequences can be devastating for children and their parents

by Steven Ross Johnson  ©

THOMAS SILVERA and his exwife had always been vigilant about managing their children’s multiple food allergies. But Silvera acknowledges that there was an added level of caution when it came to his son Elijah, who, in addition to having food allergies, also had asthma. “Asthma and food allergies are a ticking time bomb with each other,” says Silvera.

Concern over Elijah’s condition made it a priority for the New York City family to search for a preschool with staff that understood how to manage children who have multiple food allergies. They ended up finding a school in Harlem that seemed promising. “With this child care center, when they gave us the approval that they do understand the signs and symptoms of allergic reactions, it gave us peace of mind,” says Silvera.

But in November 2017, despite it being documented that he was allergic to dairy, Elijah was fed a grilled cheese sandwich at the preschool. The 3-year-old suffered a severe allergic reaction. The school called Elijah’s mother, who took him to a local hospital where he went into anaphylactic shock and, tragically, died.

“It’s so disheartening for us as parents to deal with such a situation because the negligence falls on the educators for not abiding by their policies,” says Silvera. “Now we’re faced with grief and trying to figure out life after that.”

An Uneven Toll

The tragedy of Elijah Silvera highlights a growing concern regarding the problem of food allergies, particularly among young people of color in the U.S. The prevalence of food allergies in children is increasing overall. An estimated 8% of children, or 1 in 13, are affected– that’s about two children per classroom, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And Black children are especially affected: A 2023 study found that Black children have higher rates of food allergies (8.9%) compared with Asian, non-Hispanic white and white children.

While the exact reasons for the racial disparities in food allergies are multiple and complex, experts link the causes to many of the same social factors and problems with health care access that contribute to an array of worse health outcomes for African Americans. They also say that, in addition to having a higher incidence of asthma and food allergies, Black people have an increased likelihood of having more severe versions of those conditions after they are diagnosed.

Dr. Purvi Parikh, a pediatric allergist and immunologist who is the national spokesperson for the Allergy & Asthma Network, a patient advocacy organization, says food allergies are often environmental and that some of the same factors that can lead to higher rates of asthma – including exposure to air pollution, tobacco smoke, dust mites and mold – can also increase a person’s risk

for fatal anaphylaxis from food allergies.

“There are disproportionate numbers of Black individuals living in urban settings with these increased allergen exposures,” says Parikh. “Furthermore, there is the hygiene hypothesis that suggests that processed foods and unhealthy foods contribute to the development of food allergies due to disruption of gut microbiome,” she says, noting that Black people are more likely to live in areas where there is less access to affordable healthy food options.

Indeed, a 2021 study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice found that Black children had a significantly higher likelihood for having an allergy to shellfish and finfish and an increased chance of having a wheat allergy compared to white children, which may be linked to increased exposure to cockroaches among children living in poorer urban communities. That same study found that Black children with food allergies also had higher rates of having asthma, a condition that is estimated to be a factor in about 70 to 75% of food-related anaphylaxis fatalities.

Moreover, there is some evidence that the higher rates at which Black women deliver children by cesarean section could contribute to increased rates of food allergies among Black children.

Dr. Corinna Bowser, a clinical allergist at Bryn Mawr Medical Specialists Association in Narberth, PA, says cesarean births may deprive the infant of exposure to beneficial germs within the birth canal. “It’s like good bacteria that the baby is exposed to on the way out,” Bowser says. More research is needed, however, since the results of a 2022 Australian study argue against those claims, finding no relationship between babies delivered by C-section and a higher likelihood of developing food allergies.

Addressing Racial Disparities

Many of the causes for the disparity in food allergies between Black and white children are rooted in systemic racism, explains Melanie Carver, chief mission officer for the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA). Discriminatory policies and segregation

levels of stress can Being exposed to higher lead to allergic disease.

have led many predominantly racial and ethnic minority communities to be located in areas that both lack adequate green space and have higher levels of air pollution compared to predominantly white neighborhoods.

“Systemic racism influences social determinants of health such as socioeconomic status, education, neighborhood and physical environment, employment, social support networks and access to health care,” explains Carver. “When young children are exposed to higher levels of stress, it can contribute to changes in the immune system and lead to allergic disease.”

Like with other health inequities, Carver says that we already know enough about the root causes of the racial disparities surrounding food allergies to put effective strategies in place to address the problem. Yet, she says, insufficient funding and a lack of political support continues to hinder progress.

Addressing such disparities was the key focus behind the development of AAFA’s Health Equity Advancement and Leadership program, or HEAL, which was launched in May 2022 to fund local projects throughout the United States that work to reduce asthma and food allergy hospitalizations and deaths in high-risk communities.

During the first year of the program, HEAL funded pilot projects in Chicago, St. Louis, Detroit and Los Angeles that focus on adults and teenagers with asthma, and in 2023-2024, it supported two new programs in New York and Alabama. The projects collect metrics in the hopes of establishing a set of best practices that can serve as a model for other communities.

“We have an opportunity to focus efforts on the intersection of injustice in the environment, education, wealth and income, race and ethnicity – and how these factors determine health outcomes,” Carver says.

Other efforts have focused on outreach to patients. Helen Margellos-Anast, president of the Sinai Urban Health Institute at Sinai Health System in Chicago, says a large part of the institute’s effort to reduce the adverse health impact

With NJ’s highest ranked pediatric orthopedics and urology programs.

With NJ’s highest ranked pediatric orthopedics and urology programs.

With NJ’s highest ranked pediatric orthopedics and urology programs.

We are nationally ranked in pediatric orthopedics at The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and in pediatric urology at The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital, Children’s Hospital of New Jersey at Newark

We are nationally ranked in pediatric orthopedics at The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and in pediatric urology at The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital, Children’s Hospital of New Jersey at Newark

We are nationally ranked in pediatric orthopedics at The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and in pediatric urology at The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital, Children’s Hospital of New Jersey at Newark

Beth Israel Medical Center, Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center, and Unterberg

Beth Israel Medical Center, Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center, and Unterberg

Children’s Hospital at Monmouth Medical Center. And we’re also New Jersey’s largest provider of children’s healthcare.

Beth Israel Medical Center, Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center, and Unterberg Children’s Hospital at Monmouth Medical Center. And we’re also New Jersey’s largest provider of children’s healthcare.

Children’s Hospital at Monmouth Medical Center. And we’re also New Jersey’s largest provider of children’s healthcare.

From primary care to specialized treatments and therapies and in partnership with Rutgers Health, our Children’s Health network provides outstanding care, advanced research and teaching from renowned physicians and clinicians, with an emphasis on the social determinants of health that help to improve the health and well-being of every child in every community. Learn more at rwjbh.org/ChildrensHealth

From primary care to specialized treatments and therapies and in partnership with Rutgers Health, our Children’s Health network provides outstanding care, advanced research and teaching from renowned physicians and clinicians, with an emphasis on the social determinants of health that help to improve the health and well-being of every child in every community. Learn more at rwjbh.org/ChildrensHealth

From primary care to specialized treatments and therapies and in partnership with Rutgers Health, our Children’s Health network provides outstanding care, advanced research and teaching from renowned physicians and clinicians, with an emphasis on the social determinants of health that help to improve the health and well-being of every child in every community. Learn more at rwjbh.org/ChildrensHealth

of asthma has involved work on the grassroots level by their team of community health workers, who provide counseling support to patients and help residents identify possible risk factors. She says similar efforts can focus on reducing issues related to food allergies within those communities. “Health care providers need to be at the table listening to find out what the barriers to care are,” Margellos-Anast says.

Carver says more immediate actions to reduce food allergies from developing in children should focus on early interventions, which include increasing access to specialists who can determine a child’s level of risk and devise a prevention strategy and treatment.

One key risk factor for a possible food allergy is eczema, which previous research found occurred in 16% of children ages 17 years and younger with a food allergy, and in 23% of kids between the ages of 0 and 2 years. A 2017 University of Pennsylvania study found that Black children were 30% less likely to visit a doctor to treat eczema compared to white children, despite being more likely than other racial and ethnic groups to develop the condition.

Taking Action

Thomas Silvera and his ex-wife quickly turned their grief into action in the weeks following their tragedy. They created the Elijah-Alavi Foundation, a nonprofit for food allergy and asthma education and advocacy. They also lobbied for changes to New York state law that would require preschool and child care centers to have a plan in place to identify kids with allergies and emergency protocols for allergic reactions.

The result was the passage of what is commonly known as “Elijah’s law” in 2019. Since then, Illinois passed a version of the law in 2021, followed by Virginia in 2022 and Maryland in 2024, with similar bills under consideration in other states.

Silvera says despite some progress, laws on the management of food allergies by child care providers vary by state, which leaves gaps within the country. He hopes the passage of legislation like Elijah’s law can help address these gaps, whether through passage on a state-by-state basis or through regulatory changes on the federal level. “If we all come to consensus, we can work toward a more equitable future for those affected by food allergies,” Silvera says. l

COULD YOU SAVE A LIFE?

Quick Action Saves Lives

No matter what age recognizing the signs and symptoms and responding can save a life!

if you think you are having a heart attack. DON’T DELAY CALL 911

Chest pressure, squeezing, aching, or burning

Pain that travels down one or both arms

Sudden dizziness

Excessive fatigue or weakness

Anxiety

Cold sweat

Discomfort in back, neck, shoulder, or jaw

Shortness of breath

Nausea or vomiting

The Friendship Struggle

Forming relationships with other children is important for kids, but it doesn’t always come easy. Parents can use these tips to help their children make (and keep) friends.

by Christine Comizio, MPH

©

HY CAN’T I make friends?” Hearing that question from your child is gut-wrenching. We all want our kids to have BFFs, but building and maintaining friendships can be harder for some than others. But here’s some promising news for any parent or caregiver: You can help your child navigate this tricky moment, starting at home. When children have a strong foundational base of socialization and support with family members, they typically develop the communication skills needed for friendships.

Typical Developmental Milestones

Keeping an eye on typical developmental milestones as your child grows is important. Be sure to let your pediatrician know if you have concerns at any stage.

In the first few months of life, kids should start to show an interest in interactions – whether with other babies, mom, dad or their primary caregiver, says Mayra Mendez, a licensed psychotherapist at Providence Saint John’s Child and Family Development Center in Santa Monica, California. For example, their eyes will light up when they see the faces of family members.

The next natural progression is interest in the world around them. As that develops, your child should become even more interested in interacting with others, especially with the bonded caregiver, Mendez says.

Once children hit the toddler and early preschool years, they will start to explore their surroundings and ask questions. At this point, kids begin to develop skills that will help them form friendships, including sharing, taking turns, and empathizing with others. As they get older, they’ll continue to socialize through cooperative play and, eventually, begin to develop friend preferences, such as choosing to play with certain kids in their class over others.

However, some kids will have trouble hitting these milestones and, as result, may not build the communication skills needed for friendships. This could be due to poor attachment with a caregiver, says Mendez. Other times, trouble communicating or connecting may be due to neurodevelopmental disorders or conditions, such as autism spectrum disorder or ADHD. If social skills don’t develop naturally by imitation, they may need to be taught instead, says Mendez.

But even if a child stays on track with these developmental milestones throughout their younger years, it’s possible that by the time they hit elementary school, they may be shy and still struggle to connect. Whatever the case, parents and caregivers can use these six tips to encourage older children to build important connections and develop strong friendships.

1 Help Build Your Child’s Self-Esteem

Children with healthy self-esteem are often more confident in social situations. When they have a positive image of themselves, they’re more likely to believe others will like them.

A better sense of self will also help children cope with social challenges and rejection. Having a high level of resiliency will help them bounce back from social setbacks, such as a disagreement with a peer.

2 Ease Friendship Anxiety

Friendship or social anxiety may cause kids to feel excessively fearful or nervous to engage with others in a social setting. Encouraging open communications with your child and validating those feelings can let them know that experiencing anxiety is normal. Aim to create a safe, nonjudgmental environment that will allow them to feel comfortable addressing those feelings.

You can help your child practice their social skills by suggesting that they take

small steps – like waving hello to a neighbor they know well – and then gradually building up from there (saying hello to a kid at the playground, for example). These interactions may help boost their confidence in other social settings.

3 Encourage Your Child to Join Group-Based Activities

Navigating how to make friends at school can be a daunting task. Group-based activities can help foster a sense of community around a shared interest.

Whether it’s a club, group or sports activity, help your child find something they can do that they’re interested in, suggests Amy Stark, a clinical psychologist based in Orange County, California. Other examples include churches, organizations with kids groups or local arts classes. As a parent or caregiver, it’s important to take an active interest too. Stark encourages asking questions like, “Who did you talk to?” to help keep your child engaged.

4 Lean on Friendship Coaching to Teach Social Skills

Parents and caregivers play an important role in building children’s social skills. Even so, you may find that your child needs additional guidance. If your kid is having difficulty forming connections and maintaining friendships, it may be worth considering professional support from a therapist or school-based counselor. Expert friendship coaching can address multiple aspects

of establishing friendships, such as teaching kids to play with others, form common interests, and resolve disagreements.

5

Ask Your Child’s Teachers for Help with Peer-to-Peer Inclusivity

Building empathy among peers – and helping them recognize when others may need a little extra help – can be instrumental in promoting inclusivity so that no one gets left out at playtime.

You can ask your child’s teachers and educators if they can help play a role in encouraging kids to be inclusive. For example, some schools have something called a “buddy bench,” where you can sit if you don’t have anyone to play with, Stark says, explaining that when she works with kids, she has them look around to see who’s left out.

6

Lead by Example

Your kids watch and observe everything you do as parents and caregivers. You play a vital role in shaping your child’s attitudes, behaviors and values. In a world of bullying, make sure you’re not contributing.

Moreover, make a point to model respectful and inclusive behavior and make sure that your child sees you interacting with people in a way that’s kind and respectful. Treating your child with empathy and compassion will also help them develop an important understanding around caring for the feelings of others, which is essential to building strong, lasting relationships and friendships. l

CHILDREN’S

The Great Multivitamin Debate

Do kids need them — or should their nutritional goals be met through the food on their plates?

by Elaine K. Howley  ©

THE MULTIBILLION-DOLLAR

multivitamin industry markets its products so extensively and effectively that you’d be forgiven for thinking that everyone needs to take a multivitamin. But that’s not the case – especially for kids.

“ The vast majority of children don’t need to take a multivitamin,” says Dr. Eric Ball, a pediatrician at the Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC) in Orange County, California. “Children should obtain all of the vitamins and minerals they need from their food.”

Supplementing unnecessarily can actually be problematic, says Hanane Dahoui, a pediatrician and medical director of the Orlando Health Primary Care Pediatric Clinic at Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children in Florida. “While it may seem harmless to give your child vitamins as an ‘insurance policy,’ receiving large amounts of certain vitamins such as vitamin A, C or D can cause nausea, rashes, headaches and sometimes even more severe adverse effects.”

But that’s not to say that supplements are off the table completely. Use this guide to learn about the specific vitamins and minerals your child needs – and when you may want to consider adding in a multivitamin.

Nutrition for Growing Kids

The amount of food your child needs to eat in order to get enough vitamins is probably much smaller than you think, says Dahoui. “Many common foods such as

breakfast cereal, pasta, milk, granola bars and bread are fortified with important nutrients, including calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B and iron.”

Getting these vitamins and minerals is important for kids’ growing bodies, and selecting a few foods from each of the basic food groups can help your child meet their nutritional needs each day. Here’s how each vitamin and mineral plays a role in your child’s health.

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that supports healthy eyesight, growth and tissue repair. It’s found in a variety of vegetables and fruits and dairy products.

B vitamins fulfill many functions in the body, including helping with red blood cell development and supporting a healthy metabolism. These vitamins can be found in meat, fish, poultry, eggs and enriched foods such as whole grains or enriched grains and cereals.

Vitamin C supports a healthy immune system and skin and helps kids grow strong muscles. It’s found in a wide variety of fruits and vegetables including citrus fruits, broccoli, spinach and tomatoes.

Vitamin D is a very important vitamin for kids as it helps the body build and maintain strong teeth and bones. Many dairy products are fortified with it, and the skin makes vitamin D when exposed to sunlight. Vitamin D also helps the body absorb calcium.

Calcium aids the development of strong bones and teeth. It can be found in dairy products, dark leafy greens, tofu and fortified juices.

Iron is an important nutrient for kids as it helps growing bodies and blood cell production. Iron can be found

CHILDREN’S HEALTH

in beans, fish, turkey, beef and whole grain foods as well as fortified cereals.

Special Cases

While getting vitamins and minerals from food tends to be the best option for kids, there are some circumstances where multivitamins may make sense, Ball says. “One such exception is for children who have food allergies or other medical conditions that limit the types of food they can eat. They sometimes need to take a supplement to make up for the vitamins that they can’t eat.”

(along with some fortified foods, like breakfast cereals).

You’ll also want to speak with your pediatrician about supplements if your child has a chronic medical condition such as celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease or cystic fibrosis. They may not be able to properly absorb fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamins A, D, E and K, and supplementation may be appropriate.

Lastly, breastfed infants and babies who drink less than one liter of baby formula are at risk of vitamin D deficiency and should receive 400 international units of vitamin D each day, says Dahoui. “Vitamin D is important for bone growth and helps prevent a bone condition known as rickets, where deformities in the legs can develop.”

For example, if your child is lactose intolerant or doesn’t drink milk or calcium-fortified non-dairy alternatives, they may not be getting enough calcium or vitamin D in their diet.

Supplementation Safety

If your child has a food allergy or other medical condition that prevents them from getting enough nutrients, work with your pediatrician to discuss the risks and benefits and determine whether a multivitamin supplement is a good choice.

If you do go the supplementation route, choose a vitamin that’s designed for your child’s age group. (If your child isn’t able to swallow pills yet, look for a chewable option.) Ball notes that when choosing a product, less may be more.

“It’s not healthy for a child to take a supplement that has high doses of vitamins. You should look for one that provides the recommended daily al-

Vitamins may taste good, but kids should know that they are medicine, not candy.

lowance of vitamins and not much more.”

“School-aged children generally need three to four servings per day of calcium and vitamin D-rich foods to help build healthy bones,” Ball explains. “Children who don’t obtain enough in their diet sometimes need to take a supplement.”

Children with extremely limited diets and kids with sensory food issues or food aversions (for example, those who eat mostly white carb-based foods) may also need multivitamin supplementation to avoid nutrient deficiencies. The same goes for children on limited diets such as a vegetarian or vegan diet. Your health care provider may recommend a B12 vitamin supplement because this vitamin is only found in animal-based food

Store the bottle out of your child’s reach to avoid accidental overdoses and when giving them a supplement, be sure to only provide the recommended dose. “Overdoing it on supplements can be dangerous,” says Dahoui. She also stresses that you shouldn’t treat the vitamins like a treat. “Children’s vitamins and supplements may come in fun colors and taste good, but make sure you tell your child that vitamins are a kind of medicine – not candy. You don’t want your toddler begging for more.”

Food-Based Is Best

Even if your child is taking a vitamin to address a specific health need, you still need to pay attention to offering them a balanced, healthy diet. “The USDA recommends that parents use MyPlate as a guideline for how much of certain foods kids and adolescents need for a healthy diet,” says Dahoui. MyPlate.gov, published by

the USDA and based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, was developed with the appropriate levels of vitamins and minerals that kids need in mind.

MyPlate is divided into five food group categories, which emphasize nutritional intake of:

Whole grains. Foods that are made from wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley or another cereal grain count as whole grains. Kid-friendly examples include whole-wheat bread, brown rice, oatmeal and popcorn.

Because it’s not always easy to know what type of grain is in a product, you should make a point to check labels. Whole-grain products will include a whole grain at the beginning of the ingredient list, such as whole wheat or whole bran. If you just see “wheat” or “bran,” that’s a sign that the product is not whole-grain.

Vegetables. Choose a variety of colorful produce, including dark green, red and orange vegetables, legumes (including peas and beans) and starchy vegetables. Tomato soup or carrot sticks with ranch dressing make for tasty food choices for tots.

Fruits. Fruits may be fresh, canned, frozen or dried and can be served whole, cut up or pureed. Fruit juice can sometimes count toward this serving, though it’s important to check the label and make sure it contains real fruit content and isn’t made from concentrates or full of sweeteners. Fruit smoothies also count, and are a great way to encourage kids to get more fruit in their diet.

Dairy. Milk products and many foods made from milk are considered to be part of this food group. “Focus on fat-free or low-fat products, as well as those that are high in calcium,” says Dahoui. A cup of Greek yogurt or a natural cheese stick makes for a yummy snack.

Don’t Sleep on This Melatonin News

FOR MANY parents, getting the kids to bed is a nightly struggle. Enter another type of supplement: melatonin. The sleep aid regulates the sleep-wake cycle by mimicking the effects of the hormone melatonin, which is naturally produced by the body’s pineal gland. It signals the brain that it’s time to sleep, promoting relaxation and drowsiness.

Protein. “Go lean when it comes to protein,” Dahoui says. She recommends opting for low-fat or lean meats and poultry or fish. For vegetarian protein choices, look toward nuts, beans and peas. Specifically, edamame, nut butters and dry roasted chickpeas all make good options for children.

Ball says that the best way to ensure your child is getting proper nutrition is to make sure that healthy foods are available in the house and offered to them at each meal. He also notes that until your kids have money of their own and can drive, you, the parent, are in control of the vast majority of the food that your children are offered. “It’s critical to feed them healthy foods, including fruits and vegetables, and to not offer them other options if they refuse the foods that are presented.”

Of course, this is sometimes easier said than done. To avoid fights at the kitchen table, Ball says that it can be helpful to offer your child a few acceptable options and let them make the call.

“If children are offered apples or crackers for a snack, most will choose the crackers. And if they’re offered apples or pears, they’ll be more likely to eat fruit,” explains Ball. But whichever they choose, you’ll be happy that your child is on their way to getting the daily vitamins and minerals that they need for their growth and good health. l

Melatonin supplements are readily available in kid-friendly formulations, so it’s easy to see why many parents would reach for these as a quick fix for less stressful bedtimes. Indeed, a 2023 survey by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine found that 46% of parents have given melatonin to a child under the age of 13 to help them zip to dreamland. But is it safe for little ones?

Research shows that short-term use of melatonin supplements, when dosed properly, can help children fall asleep faster and sleep longer without any serious side

effects. It can be particularly helpful when a child’s bedtime routine needs a reset, such as after a vacation or when the clocks go forward with daylight savings time.

However, experts are still unsure about the long-term effects, and say that melatonin supplements shouldn’t be the first form of treatment. Some worry that relying on melatonin might interfere with your child’s natural sleep cycle development. There are also concerns that it might affect growth and development, especially during puberty.

Moreover, research shows that the majority of melatonin gummies on the market misreport their melatonin content, which means that parents may unknowingly be giving their children a dangerously high dose. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, there were 260,000 reports of melatonin poisoning in kids from 2012 to 2021.

The bottom line: If your kid is having trouble getting to sleep, start with healthy sleep habits, like establishing a consistent bedtime routine and limiting screen time before bed. If these lifestyle changes don’t help, talk with your pediatrician about whether the short-term use of melatonin supplements could be helpful for your child’s sleep struggles.

Children’s Hospitals Best

HONOR ROLL

This elite list showcases hospitals with unusual breadth of excellence in pediatric specialty care. For each specialty, each hospital that ranked among the top 50 earned points toward the Honor Roll: 25 points for ranking No. 1, 24 points for No. 2 and so on; hospitals ranked among the top 50 but not in the top 20 received 5 points. The 10 hospitals with the most points define the Honor Roll. 2024-25

Boston Children's Hospital

Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora

Children's Hospital Los Angeles

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Children's National Hospital, Washington

Cincinnati Children's

Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio

Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego

Seattle Children's Hospital

Texas Children's Hospital, Houston

Every child deserves a breakthrough. That’s why we’re passionately driven to improve the health of children around the world through groundbreaking research that translates into life-changing solutions and cures. From precision diagnostics, to novel therapeutics, to our unique bench-to-bedside approach, our scientific discoveries have led to countless breakthroughs and saved countless children’s lives.

chop.edu/about

The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

What Matters in Pediatrics

How we identified 88 outstanding children’s hospitals

by Ben Harder  ©

HERE SHOULD anxious parents take a newborn with a life-threatening heart defect, or find ongoing care for a child with failing kidneys or lung-clogging cystic fibrosis? A local hospital’s pediatric department might be perfectly capable of managing ear infections, allergies, flu and other common childhood ailments. But it may not have the expertise to treat severely ill kids. That’s where children’s hospitals come in. There are approximately 200 hospitals in the country that either exclusively treat pediatric patients or possess a pediatric department that functions like a self-contained

children’s hospital. Even within that group, some centers are better than others. U.S. News created the Best Children’s Hospitals rankings to help parents, in consultation with their doctors, find those best suited to their child.

The 2024-2025 rankings highlight top children’s centers in 11 specialties: behavioral health, cancer, cardiology and heart surgery, diabetes and endocrinology, gastroenterology and gastrointestinal surgery, neonatology, nephrology, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopedics, pulmonology and lung surgery and urology. This year, 88 hospitals ranked in at least one specialty, and 10 were named to the Honor Roll for scoring near the top in most or all specialties. Regional rankings

features data on dozens of additional children’s hospitals.

Almost all of the medical data used in these rankings were obtained by asking hospitals to complete a lengthy online data-collection process. This year, 108 hospitals surveyed by U.S. News provided enough data to be evaluated.

RTI International, a North Carolina-based research firm, oversaw data collection and produced the rankings. Collaborating with RTI staff, 170 pediatric experts serving in working groups helped design the data-collection survey.

Whether and how high an institution was ranked depended on three elements: its clinical outcomes (such as survival and surgical complications), its delivery of care (such as adhering to safe and effective practices) and its resources (such as staffing and technology). Each element contributed one-third of a hospital’s overall score in most specialties. A detailed FAQ about the rankings is available at health.usnews.com/aboutchildrens. Here are the basics:

Clinical outcomes. These reveal a hospital’s success at keeping kids alive after their treatment, protecting them from infections and complications and improving their quality of life. While tough to measure, outcomes tend to matter most to both families and doctors.

for each of seven multi-state regions (Page 198) list hospitals according to the number of specialties in which they were among the best.

Rich data. Judging the excellence of children’s hospitals is challenging, and no single metric or ranking should be viewed as a definitive guide. U.S. News gathered more than 1,000 data points on each hospital to determine its strengths and weaknesses. Many summary measures appear in the ranking tables that follow; more can be found at health.usnews.com/childrenshospitals, which also

Delivery of care. How well a hospital handles day-to-day care was determined in part by compliance with accepted “best practices,” such as performing neuropsychological evaluation of patients with certain cancers. Another factor: a hospital’s demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion by, say, screening patients for social determinants of health like food insecurity. U.S. News also surveyed pediatric specialists, asking them to identify up to 10 hospitals they consider best in their area of expertise for kids with complex medical problems.

Resources. Surgical volume, nursepatient ratio, clinics and programs for conditions such as asthma and dozens of other measures were considered.

A Word on the Terms

USED IN MORE THAN ONE SPECIALTY

A Nurse Magnet hospital: Hospital recognized by American Nurses Credentialing Center as meeting standards for nursing excellence.

Infection prevention score, ICU: Ability to prevent central-line bloodstream infections in intensive care units.

Infection prevention score, overall: Ability to prevent infections through measures such as hand hygiene and vaccination.

No. of best practices: How well hospital adheres to recommended ways of diagnosing and treating patients, such as documenting blood sugar levels for a high percentage of outpatients (diabetes and endocrinology) and conducting hip exams with ultrasound specialists (orthopedics).

Nurse-patient ratio: Balance of fulltime registered nurses to inpatients. Patient volume score: Relative number of patients in past year with specified disorders.

% of specialists recommending hospital: Percentage of physician specialists surveyed in 2022, 2023 and 2024 who named hospital among best for very challenging patients.

Procedure volume score: Relative number of tests and nonsurgical procedures in the past one, two or three years, such as implanting radioactive seeds in a cancerous thyroid (diabetes and endocrinology) and using an endoscope for diagnosis (gastroenterology). Surgical procedures are included in orthopedics. Surgery volume score: Relative number of patients who had specified surgical procedures in past year.

Surgical complications prevention score: Ability to prevent surgery-related complications and readmissions within 30 days (neurology and neurosurgery, orthopedics, urology).

U.S. News score: 0 to 100 summary of overall performance in specialty.

NA: Not applicable; the service is not provided by hospital.

NR: Indicates that data is not reported or unavailable.

USED IN ONE SPECIALTY

CANCER

Bone marrow transplant survival score:

Survival of stem cell recipients at 100 days. Five-year survival score: Survival five years after treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia and neuroblastoma.

Palliative care score: How well program meets specified training and staffing standards for children with terminal or life-limiting conditions, and number of cancer patients referred to program.

CARDIOLOGY & HEART SURGERY

Catheter procedure volume score: Relative number of specified catheter-based procedures in past year, such as inserting stents and treating heart rhythm problems. Length of stay after surgery score: Success in minimizing how long certain congenital heart patients spend in the hospital for care related to their heart condition.

Norwood/hybrid surgery survival score: Survival at one year after the first in a series of reconstructive surgeries, evaluated over past four years.

Risk-adjusted surgical survival score: Survival in the hospital and 30 days from discharge after congenital heart surgery, adjusted for operative and patient risk, evaluated over past four years.

DIABETES & ENDOCRINOLOGY

Diabetes management score: Ability to prevent serious problems in children with Type 1 diabetes and to keep blood sugar levels in check.

Thyroid management score: Relative proportions of children treated for underactive thyroid who test normal and of infants who begin treatment by 3 weeks of age.

GASTROENTEROLOGY & GI SURGERY

Liver transplant survival score: One- and three-year survival after liver transplant. Nonsurgical procedure volume score: Relative number of tests and noninvasive procedures.

Selected treatments success score: Shown, for example, by high remission rates for inflammatory bowel disease and few complications from endoscopic procedures.

NEONATOLOGY

Infection prevention score, NICU: Ability to prevent central-line bloodstream infections in neonatal ICU.

Keeping breathing tube in place score: Ability to minimize inappropriate breathingtube removal in intubated infants.

Leaves NICU on breast milk score: Relative percentage of infants discharged from NICU receiving some nutrition from breast milk.

NICU temperature management score: Success in managing NICU patients’ temperature at the time of admission and postoperatively.

NEPHROLOGY

Biopsy complications prevention score: Ability to minimize complications after kidney biopsy.

Dialysis management score: Relative proportion of dialysis patients in past two years who tested normal.

Infection prevention score, dialysis: Ability to minimize dialysis-related infection.

Kidney transplant survival score: Based on patient survival and functioning kidney at one and three years.

NEUROLOGY & NEUROSURGERY

Epilepsy management score: Ability to treat children with epilepsy.

Surgical survival score: Survival at 30 days after complex surgery and procedures, such as those involving brain tumors, epilepsy and head trauma.

ORTHOPEDICS

Fracture repair score: Ability to treat complex leg and forearm fractures efficiently.

PULMONOLOGY & LUNG SURGERY

Asthma inpatient care score: Ability to minimize asthmatic children’s asthma-related deaths, length of stay and readmissions. Cystic fibrosis management score: Ability to improve lung function and nutritional status.

Lung transplant survival score: Reflects number of transplants in past two years, one-year survival and recognition by United Network for Organ Sharing.

UROLOGY

Minimally invasive volume score: Relative number of patients in past year who had specified nonsurgical procedures.

Testicular torsion care score: Promptness of emergency surgery to correct twisted spermatic cord.

•Explore elements to help improve patient care

•Promote brand awareness

• Inform resource allocation

•Discover performance drivers

Hospital Data Insights is an analytics platform from U.S. News & World Report based on the data underpinning the Best Hospitals rankings. For more information or to request a free customized demo of your data, get in touch.

Behavioral Health

Children’s Mercy Kansas Announces Illuminate, five-year plan lighting forward for the youth health crisis by increasing to evidence-based treatment specific focus on equity vulnerable populations.

If you share our passion for behavioral health, we invite you to join us: childrensmercy.org/illuminate. Shining a light. Lighting the way.

In 2023, Children’s Mercy Kansas City launched Illuminate, a 5-year, $275 million initiative to address our region’s youth mental health crisis through early intervention, equitable access, expanded hospital services and life-changing research.

another incredible year of leading the way in pediatric care

Once again, Children’s HealthSM is the #1 pediatric hospital in North Texas. We’re also ranked in all 11 specialties by U.S. News & World Report, including pediatric and adolescent behavioral health. With innovative treatments, breakthrough medical research and state-of-the-art technology, we continue to make life better for children.

Learn more about our pediatric specialties at childrens.com/excellence.

Cardiology & Heart Surgery

Diabetes  &  Endocrinology

Gastroenterology &  GI Surgery

BEST CHILDREN’S HOSPITALS

Neonatology

35

How Do You Compare to Other Applicants?

This free college acceptance calculator uses your test scores and GPA to estimate your chances of getting into the schools of your choice.

We help you make the best college decisions.

Sign up for a free U.S. News education account for access to all of the school data, rankings, tools and expert advice we have to offer.

Already have a U.S. News account? Sign in here:

BEST CHILDREN’S HOSPITALS

Nephrology

“When I was 3, I was diagnosed with a rare kidney disease. My life saving journey with Montefiore Einstein included a kidney transplant at age 8. They saved my life and now I stand with them to bring awareness to pediatric kidney disease.”

The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore Einstein has been at the forefront of advancing treatments for kidney disease in children for over 50 years.

See Alisha’s life saving journey at montefioreeinstein.org/Alisha

Neurology  &  Neurosurgery

Orthopedics

50

Pulmonology  &  Lung Surgery

2024-25

Best Regional Hospitals

181 Great Care Near Home: Read about how U.S. News identified and ranked the top hospitals state by state.

183 The Rankings: See how district hospitals performed in areas of specialty care and in common procedures and conditions.

196 Celebrating Inclusive Care: For the first time, U.S. News has recognized hospitals that care for patients from underserved communities.

198 Best Regional Children’s Hospitals: Explore a region-by-region ranking based on performance in 11 specialties.

Great Care Near Home

How we identified and ranked the top hospitals state by state

by Ben Harder  ©

F YOU’RE LIKE MOST facing hospitalization, you’d likely prefer to stay close to home. Not only is going to a local hospital more convenient, but it could help you avoid a hefty bill for out-of-network care. Additionally, friends and family may be able to visit you if you go to a nearby hospital, and that support can be incredibly important during your recovery. And getting follow-up care from the same medical team will be more practical if you don’t need to travel a great distance.

IThe U.S. News & World Report Best Regional Hospitals listings showcase nearly 500 hospitals in the country that offer high-quality care across a range of clinical services. These services include both complex, highly specialized care for the sickest patients – the focus of the Best Hospitals specialty rankings (see Page 102) – and safe, effective treatment for those whose medical needs are more commonplace, such as patients seeking hip or knee replacement surgery for age-related arthritis. The 2024-2025 Best Regional Hospitals rankings, found in their entirety at health.usnews.com/bestregionalhospitals, offer readers in most parts of the country a number of high-quality choices near home.

These evaluations include ratings of how well hospitals handle 20 relatively common procedures and conditions in addition to their assessments in 11 specialties.* These 20 areas of care are: colon cancer surgery; gynecological cancer surgery; lung cancer surgery; prostate cancer surgery; leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma; heart attack; heart failure; heart bypass surgery; heart valve surgery; transcatheter

aortic valve replacement; abdominal aortic aneurysm repair; stroke; back surgery; hip replacement; knee replacement; hip fracture; diabetes; kidney failure; pneumonia; and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Hospitals are assigned a rating of “high performing,” “average” or “below average” in each area in which they treated enough patients to be evaluated.

Recognition as a Best Regional Hospital means a hospital was nationally ranked in at least one of 11 specialties, or that it earned at least seven “high performing” ratings across the procedures and conditions. Each such hospital also had to meet certain other criteria. To learn more, check out the FAQ at health.usnews.com/best-hospitals.

The Best Regional Hospitals appear ranked by state on the following pages. Hospitals are numerically ordered according to the following rules:

1. Hospitals on the Honor Roll (see Page 102) were ranked No. 1 in their state. In states with more than one Honor Roll hospital, all were tied at No. 1.

2. All other hospitals received two points for each of the 11 specialties in which they were ranked among the top 50 and one

point for each of those specialties and each procedure or condition in which it was rated high performing. The two valve procedures were treated as one procedure for scoring purposes.

3. A hospital lost one point for each procedure or condition in which it was rated below average. Again, the valve procedures were scored together.

Based on the same rules, hospitals in major metropolitan areas also were ranked against other top hospitals in the metropolis. Our website displays these rankings for 94 metro areas with approximately 500,000 or more residents.

To help consumers outside the biggest urban centers who are searching for high-

quality care, our website also lists top hospitals in more than 100 U.S. News-defined regions, such as Kentucky’s Bluegrass Region, the Ozarks in Arkansas and the Florida Panhandle.

Our goal with the state and metro area rankings is to identify general medical-surgical hospitals that provide both breadth and quality, so only hospitals that deliver a wide range of clinical services for adults were considered for the Best Regional Hospitals rankings.

Maternal and pediatric care did not factor into these rankings. Hospitals are separately evaluated in maternity care (Page 138), and children’s hospitals are separately ranked by region (Page 198) based on their performance across the 11 children’s specialties (Page 160).

How a hospital performed in ophthalmology, psychiatry, rehabilitation and rheumatology did not factor into the Best Regional Hospitals rankings, either. While these four specialties are undeniably important, many hospitals treat few, if any, inpatients in these specialty areas.

Additionally, specialty hospitals such as dedicated cancer centers, surgical hospitals and rehabilitation facilities were not considered for the regional rankings.

Of course, a local hospital doesn’t make sense for every patient. Where you live, the type of care you need, your insurance coverage and other factors will all play a role in determining which type of hospital is preferable for your treatment. That’s why when choosing a hospital, it’s important to consult with your physician or other health professional and talk with family and friends about the hospitals that you’re comparing. Then you can combine your own research with ours to find the best possible care.

Best Regional Hospitals

To help patients identify top hospitals near home, the table below compares hospitals across 15 areas of complex specialty care that comprise the Best Hospitals rankings (Page 102) plus 20 procedures and conditions.

COMMON PROCEDURES & CONDITIONS

l High performing

l Average

l Below average – Service rarely or never provided

1

COMPLEX SPECIALTY CARE INDICATES NUMBER OF SPECIALTIES IN WHICH HOSPITAL IS NATIONALLY RANKED

COMMON PROCEDURES & CONDITIONS

*Also includes myeloma. †TAVR: Transcatheter aortic valve replacement. ‡ COPD: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

A footnote indicates that another hospital’s results are included, that the hospital has a different name in one or more areas of care, or both. 1UAB Callahan Eye Hospital 2Barrow Neurological Institute 3Byers Eye Institute, Stanford Health Care4 UC San Diego Health-Moores Cancer Center, UC San Diego Health-Cardiovascular Institute, UC San Diego Health-Shiley Eye Institute 5Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center and Orthopedic Hospital, Stein and Doheny Eye Institutes, UCLA Medical Center, Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital at UCLA

23 MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center, Fountain Valley

1

2

1

1

4

5

6

1

THE BEST IN NEW JERSEY, ONCE AGAIN.

TWO TOP 4 HOSPITALS IN NEW JERSEY, INCLUDING THE #1 ADULT AND CHILDREN'S HOSPITALS.

JOSEPH M. SANZARI & K. HOVNANIAN

At Hackensack Meridian Health, we’re proud to have two hospitals ranked in New Jersey’s top four, according to U.S. News & World Report 20242025. Hackensack University Medical Center is the #1 adult and children’s hospitals in New Jersey, with the best cancer care in the state at John Theurer Cancer Center and top 50 nationally ranked programs in Pulmonology & Lung Surgery, Geriatrics, Cardiology, Heart & Vascular Surgery, Urology, Neurology & Neurosurgery, Diabetes & Endocrinology, and Orthopedics. Jersey Shore University Medical Center is ranked #4 in the state for adult and #1 children’s, with a nationally ranked best-in-state Obstetrics & Gynecology program, and High Performing programs in Orthopedics, Cardiology, Heart & Vascular Surgery, Geriatrics, and Pulmonology & Lung Surgery. And JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute has once again been ranked among the nation’s best rehabilitation hospitals. It’s proof that here, no matter what, or when, we’re ready to care for you.

To learn more, visit HackensackMeridianHealth.org/Rankings.

HACKENSACK UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER

JERSEY SHORE UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER

JFK JOHNSON REHABILITATION INSTITUTE

JOHN THEURER CANCER CENTER

CHILDREN’S HOSPITALS

NORTH CAROLINA

1

6

6

continued

5 St. Charles Medical Center, Bend

8 Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center, Medford

1 Hosps. of U. of Pennsylvania-Penn Presbyterian, Philadelphia44

2 Jefferson Health-Thomas Jefferson U. Hospitals, Philadelphia45 7

4

5

PROCEDURES & CONDITIONS *Also includes myeloma. †TAVR: Transcatheter aortic valve replacement. ‡ COPD: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. A footnote indicates that another hospital’s results are included, that the hospital has a different name in one or more areas of care, or both. 44Scheie Eye Institute, Hospitals of the University of Pennsylvania-Penn Presbyterian 45Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals-Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals-Vickie and Jack Farber Institute for Neuroscience, Rothman Orthopaedics at Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals, Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals-Jane and Leonard Korman Respiratory Institute, Wills Eye Hospital, Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals

BEST REGIONAL HOSPITALS

5

Celebrating Inclusive Care

For the first time, U.S. News has recognized hospitals that care for patients from underserved communities.

by Tavia Binger and Ben Harder  ©

Patients with high social needs often face significant obstacles in accessing top-quality healthcare services. At the same time, hospitals that care for a larger proportion of more vulnerable patients are faced with challenges, such as lower reimbursement from certain insurers, that can limit their ability to provide much-needed services to their communities. Yet some hospitals break the mold by demonstrating excellence in quality while also caring for numerous patients from vulnerable communities.

To recognize such hospitals, U.S. News developed a methodology defining the 2024-2025 Best Regional Hospitals for Equitable Access. The result is this list of 98 hospitals. Hospitals on this list were recognized for excellent performance in both quality and measures related to access to care for historically underserved communities, as described below.

At least 40% of Medicare inpatient visits involved patients living in more socioeconomically deprived neighborhoods. The socioeconomic deprivation of neighborhoods was assessed using Area Deprivation Index data obtained from the Neighborhood Atlas. Both national percentiles, which compare neighborhoods to others in the country, and state deciles, which compare neighborhoods only to others within the same state, were considered. Neighborhoods with national ADI values above 70 (on a scale where 100 indicates the greatest deprivation), or state ADI values above 7 (on a 1-to-10 scale), were classified as more socioeconomically deprived for this analysis. A hospital could meet this criterion if at least 40% of its Medicare patients lived in deprived neighborhoods, according to either state or national ADI.

For the access component of this methodology, we identified hospitals that served a higher proportion of three historically underserved communities: people living in more socioeconomically deprived neighborhoods, Medicaid beneficiaries and racial and ethnic minorities. For the quality component, we identified hospitals that were awarded the Best Regional Hospitals recognition.

Hospitals received this recognition if they ranked among the Best Regional Hospitals for 2023-2024 and/or 2024-2025 and met at least two of the following three criteria:

A sizable Medicaid population. A hospital met this requirement if at least 30% of its patients were insured by Medicaid, or if it achieved the highest category (“Higher than other hospitals”) for the U.S. News Health Equity measure “Representation of low-income patients,” which was based on Medicaid data. A few hospitals met this requirement based on slightly different criteria.

A patient population that reflects the racial and ethnic diversity of the surrounding community. A hospital met this requirement if at least 20% of its Medicare inpatients receiving elective care were from racial or ethnic minorities, or if it treated a nontrivial Medicare population from one or more of five racial/ethnic minority groups and achieved the highest category (“Comparable to or higher than the community”) for the corresponding race/ethnicity representation measure(s) U.S. News publishes as part of its Health Equity measures. l

Best Regional Hospitals for Equitable Access

These 98 institutions provide excellent care for underserved communities.

• Adventist Health-White Memorial, Los Angeles, CA

• Advocate Trinity Hospital, Chicago, IL

• Albany Medical Center, Albany, NY

• Altru Health System-Grand Forks, ND

• Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center, Medford, OR

• Ascension St. Agnes Hospital, Baltimore, MD

• Ascension St. John Hospital, Detroit, MI

• Banner Desert Medical Center, Mesa, AZ

• Banner-University Medical Center Phoenix, AZ

• Banner-University Medical Center Tucson, AZ

• Barnes-Jewish Hospital, St. Louis, MO

• Brooklyn Hospital Center, Brooklyn, NY

• Cape Fear Valley Medical Center, Fayetteville, NC

• Carle Foundation Hospital, Urbana, IL

• Christian Hospital, St. Louis, MO

• Cooper University Health Care-Camden, NJ

• Corewell Health Dearborn Hospital, Dearborn, MI

• Corewell Health Lakeland Hospitals, St. Joseph, MI

• CoxHealth Springfield, MO

• Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH

• ECU Health Medical Center, Greenville, NC

• Erlanger Medical Center, Chattanooga, TN

• Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center, Knoxville, TN

• Fountain Valley Regional Hospital, Fountain Valley, CA

• Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center, Wilkes Barre, PA

• Grady Memorial Hospital, Atlanta, GA

• Grand Strand Regional Medical Center, Myrtle Beach, SC

• Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, MI

• Hillcrest Medical Center, Tulsa, OK

• Indiana University Health Medical Center, Indianapolis, IN

• Inova Fairfax Hospital, Falls Church, VA

• JPS Health Network-Fort Worth, TX

• Jefferson Health-Stratford, Cherry Hill & Washington Township, Stratford, NJ

• Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Baltimore, MD

• Kaiser Permanente Fontana and Ontario Medical Centers, Fontana, CA

• Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento Medical Center, Sacramento, CA

• Lexington Medical Center, West Columbia, SC

• Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, CA

• Long Island Jewish Medical Center at Northwell Health, New Hyde Park, NY

• Maimonides Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY

• McLeod Regional Medical Center, Florence, SC

• MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center, Clinton, MD

• MedStar Union Memorial Hospital, Baltimore, MD

• MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center, Fountain Valley, CA

• Mercy Hospital Springfield, MO

• Mercy San Juan Medical Center, Carmichael, CA

• Methodist Hospitals of Memphis, TN

• Moses H. Cone Memorial Hospital, Greensboro, NC

• Mount Sinai Hospital-Chicago, IL

• NYC Health and Hospitals-Elmhurst, NY

• Nebraska Medicine-Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE

• New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, Brooklyn, NY

• New York-Presbyterian Queens Hospital, Flushing, NY

• NorthBay Medical Center, Fairfield, CA

• Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center, Lafayette, LA

• PIH Health Good Samaritan Hospital, Los Angeles, CA

• Park Nicollet Methodist Hospital, St. Louis Park, MN

• Parkland Health-Dallas, TX

• Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, PA

• Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center, Pomona, CA

• Providence Alaska Medical Center, Anchorage, AK

• Providence St. Mary Medical Center, Apple Valley, CA

• Rochester General Hospital-Rochester Regional Health, Rochester, NY

• Salem Hospital, Salem, OR

• Salinas Valley Health Medical Center, Salinas, CA

• Sanford Medical Center Bismarck, ND

• Scripps Mercy Hospital, San Diego, CA

• Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center, Chula Vista, CA

• South Texas Health System-Edinburg, TX

• St. Agnes Medical Center, Fresno, CA

• St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center, Hartford, CT

• St. Francis Hospital-Tulsa, OK

• St. Joseph's Medical Center-Stockton, CA

• St. Mary's Medical Center-Huntington, WV

• Stony Brook University Hospital, Stony Brook, NY

• Stormont Vail Hospital, Topeka, KS

• Sutter Medical Center-Sacramento, CA

• TMC Healthcare-Tucson, AZ

• Temple University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA

• TidalHealth Peninsula Regional, Salisbury, MD

• UAMS Medical Center, Little Rock, AR

• UCHealth Memorial Hospital, Colorado Springs, CO

• UF Health Jacksonville, FL

• UMass Memorial Medical Center, Worcester, MA

• UNC Health-Southeastern, Lumberton, NC

• UNC Hospitals, Chapel Hill, NC

• UPMC Presbyterian Shadyside, Pittsburgh, PA

• University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, OH

• University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital, Birmingham, AL

• University of Chicago Medical Center, IL

• University of Kentucky Albert B. Chandler Hospital, Lexington, KY

• University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, MD

• University of New Mexico Hospitals, Albuquerque, NM

• Upstate University Hospital, Syracuse, NY

• WakeMed Raleigh Campus, Raleigh, NC

• West Virginia University Hospitals, Morgantown, WV

• Yale New Haven Hospital, New Haven, CT

• Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center, CA

Best Regional Children’s Hospitals

For good reasons, parents of kids who need specialty care tend to seek a hospital close to home, usually within the state where they live or in a neighboring state. Designed to help families identify top pediatric centers near home, the region-by-region rankings below compare children’s hospitals on overall performance across 11 pediatric specialties.

2 Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital, New Haven, Conn.

3 Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, Hartford

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

1 Children’s National Hospital, Washington

3 Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, Baltimore2

3 New York-Presbyterian Children’s Hospital-Columbia and Cornell

3 UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh3

6 Cohen Children’s Medical Center, New Hyde Park, N.Y.

7 Nemours Children’s Hospital-Delaware, Wilmington

8 University of Virginia Children’s Hospital, Charlottesville

Children’s Hospital at Montefiore, Bronx, N.Y.

( - ) indicates hospital is not nationally ranked.

A footnote indicates that another hospital’s results are included, that the hospital has a different name in one or more areas of care, or both.

1Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center 2Johns Hopkins Children’s Center-Kennedy Krieger Institute 3UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh-Shriners Hospitals for Children Erie; UPMC Children’s and Western Psychiatric Hospitals 4Virginia Congenital Cardiac Collaborative 5Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey

14 The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospitals at RWJ University Hospitals, New Brunswick, N.J.

1 Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta

1 Levine Children’s Hospital, Charlotte, N.C.

1 Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, Nashville, Tenn.

4 Duke Children’s Hospital and Health Center, Durham, N.C.

4

6 Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, Memphis, Tenn.

7 Arkansas Children’s Hospital, Little Rock

8 Children’s Hospital of Alabama at UAB, Birmingham

8 Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, St. Petersburg, Fla.

10 Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, Orlando, Fla.

( - ) indicates hospital is not nationally ranked. A footnote indicates that another hospital’s results are included, that the hospital has a different name in one or more areas of care, or both.

6MUSC Children’s Heart Network of South Carolina 7Wolfson Children’s Terry Heart Institute 8Cincinnati Children’s and Kentucky Children’s Hospital Joint Heart Program 9Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital-Prentice Women’s Hospital 10University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital 11Mayo ClinicChildren’s Minnesota Cardiovascular Collaborative 12St. Louis Children’s Hospital-Washington University/Shriners Children’s St. Louis 13M Health Fairview Masonic Children’s Hospital-Children’s Minnesota 14Cincinnati Children’s and Kentucky Children’s Hospital Joint Heart Program 15Advocate Children’s Heart Institute

BEST REGIONAL HOSPITALS

l NATIONALLY RANKED

Rank Hospital

ROCKY MOUNTAIN • Colorado • Idaho • Montana • Nevada • Utah • Wyoming

1 Children’s Hospital Colorado, Aurora

2 Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital-University of Utah, Salt Lake City16

SOUTHWEST • Arizona • New Mexico • Oklahoma • Texas

1 Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston

2 Children’s Medical Center Dallas17

3 Phoenix Children’s Hospital

4 Cook Children’s Medical Center, Fort Worth, Texas

5 Dell Children’s Medical Center, Austin, Texas

6 Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital, Houston

7 Oklahoma Children’s Hospital OU Health, Oklahoma City18

1 Children’s Hospital Los Angeles

1 Rady Children’s Hospital, San Diego

1 Seattle Children’s Hospital

4 Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford, Palo Alto, Calif.

4 UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals, San Francisco and Oakland

6 CHOC Children’s Hospital, Orange, Calif.

6 UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital, Los Angeles

8 UC Davis Children’s Hospital, Sacramento, Calif.19

9 Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital, Loma Linda, Calif.

9 Valley Children’s Healthcare and Hospital, Madera, Calif.

( - ) indicates hospital is not nationally ranked.

A footnote indicates that another hospital’s results are included, that the hospital has a different name in one or more areas of care, or both.

16Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital-Shriners Hospitals for Children-University of Utah 17Children’s Medical Center Dallas-Scottish Rite for Children

18Jimmy Everest Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders in Children 19UC Davis Children’s Hospital/Shriners Children’s Northern California

What Is a U.S. News Best Hospital?

The best hospital for you or a loved one depends on the type of care you need. For a rare bone condition or a lung transplant, for instance, you may need to travel to a hospital that earned a top 50 national ranking for orthopedics or pulmonology, respectively. But for a common procedure or condition like a hip replacement or COPD, you are likely to find that a hospital close to home is highly rated by U.S. News.

WHY DOES U.S. NEWS RATE HOSPITALS?

The quality of health care provided by hospitals to patients across the nation varies widely. U.S. News delves into various quality measures to publish rankings and ratings of hospitals that assist millions of patients annually. These patients face the prospect of surgery or specialized hospital care that can pose a risk due to such factors as age, physical condition or the type of illness. The rankings and ratings are a tool to help consumers make important health care decisions, in conjunction with advice from medical practitioners.

HOW DID U.S. NEWS DETERMINE THE RANKINGS AND RATINGS?

U.S. News’s Best Hospitals project evaluates U.S. adult hospitals annually on how they provide 35 different types of care. The rankings of 15 medical specialties use a variety of quality measures to identify the hospitals that excel at handling the most complex and difficult cases. The ratings of 20 common procedures and conditions are based entirely on objective quality indicators, such as patient outcomes and nurse staffing levels. We also

For more information

publish an Honor Roll of the hospitals that excel in many types of care, as well as rankings of general hospitals by state and major metro area.

WHAT ARE BEST HOSPITALS BADGES AND EMBLEMS?

Hospitals that earn top 50 rankings in a specialty have a gold Best Hospitals award “badge” (logo) on their U.S. News profile page, with information about how many such rankings they won. General hospitals that excel in a large number of common procedures and conditions have a silver “Best Regional Hospitals” silver badge and may be ranked in their state and/or metro area. Hospitals that place in the top 10% for a specialty but not in the top 50, or that achieve the highest possible rating for a common procedure or condition, have a High Performing Hospitals emblem on their profile page.

Hospitals that earn a badge or emblem may obtain permission, for a fee, to display the badge or emblem via websites and other media from BrandConnex, U.S. News’s licensing agent. Current and future rankings, ratings and awards are not affected by such purchases or by any other promotional fees.

• The evaluation of hospitals in your area: https:bit.ly/USN-area

• For detailed information about a specific hospital: https://bit.ly/USN-search

• About U.S. News’s hospital evaluations, including Best Children’s Hospitals and Best Hospitals for Maternity Care as well as Best Hospitals: https://bit.ly/USN-FAQ

• Detailed methodology reports about the Best Hospitals specialty rankings https://bit.ly/USN-2425 and the procedures and conditions ratings https://bit.ly/USNrate

• Hospitals that earn a badge or emblem may contact usnews@BrandConnex.com for information about using U.S. News Best Hospitals badges and emblems.

2024-2025