Only Heart Program Nationally Ranked Again in the Washington Region

Washington, D.C., July 15, 2014 – For the second year in a row, MedStar Washington Hospital Center is distinguished as the only hospital in the Washington region with a nationally-ranked heart program recognized by U.S.News and World Report. The 2014-15 U.S.News Best Hospitals rankings honor hospitals that excel in treating patients with the most challenging medical conditions.

This marks the 18th year that the Hospital Center has been nationally ranked by U.S.News. This year, just 144 hospitals, or about three percent of the nearly 5,000 hospitals analyzed for the Best Hospitals listing earned national ranking in even one specialty.

U.S.News also credited nine of the Hospital Center’s other specialties as high-performing: Cancer, Diabetes & Endocrinology; Ear, Nose & Throat; Gastroenterology & GI Surgery; Geriatrics; Gynecology; Nephrology; Pulmonology and Urology.

With one of the highest-volume cardiac programs in the nation, MedStar Washington Hospital Center is home to MedStar Heart Institute, which integrates the heart programs and services of all of MedStar Health’s hospitals, MedStar’s cardiology practices and outpatient centers in Maryland and the Washington, D.C., region. In 2013, MedStar Heart Institute forged a first-of-its-kind clinical and research alliance with world-renowned Cleveland Clinic Heart & Vascular Institute. For the 20th consecutive year, Cleveland Clinic’s heart program is again ranked No.1 in the nation.

“The data tell the story – a hospital that emerged from our analysis as one of the best has much to be proud of,” says U.S.News Health Rankings Editor Avery Comarow. “A Best Hospital has demonstrated its expertise in treating the most challenging patients.”

U.S.News publishes Best Hospitals to help guide patients who need a high level of care because they face particularly difficult surgery, a challenging condition or extra risk because of age or multiple health problems. Objective measures such as patient survival and safety data, adequacy of nurse staffing levels and other data largely determined the rankings in most specialties.

The rankings are available at http://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals and will appear in the U.S.News “Best Hospitals 2015” guidebook, available in August.

About MedStar Washington Hospital Center

MedStar Washington Hospital Center is a 926-bed, major teaching and research hospital. It is the largest private, not-for-profit hospital in the nation’s capital, among the 50 largest hospitals in the nation and a major referral center for the most complex tertiary services. It consistently ranks among the nation’s top hospitals as recognized by U.S.News & World Report. The Hospital Center is a respected top facility in the areas of cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes & endocrinology, gastroenterology & GI surgery, geriatrics, gynecology, nephrology, orthopaedics, pulmonology and urology. It operates MedSTAR, one of the country’s top shock-trauma and medevac programs, and also operates the region’s only adult burn center.

Media Contacts:
So Young Pak
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202-877-2748

Sylvia T. Ballinger
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202-877-7072