Northwestern Memorial Hospital repeated at No. 13 on the U.S. News & World Report’s ranking of U.S. hospitals. It also topped the list of Illinois hospitals again, followed by Rush University Medical Center (second), Loyola University Medical Center (third) and Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn and University of Chicago Medical Center, the two of which tied for fourth.
The big mover on the state list was U of C Medical Center, which rose in Illinois from eighth.
The U of C attributed its better performance to being highly ranked in five of nine “procedures and conditions” categories, including heart failure, lung cancer surgery and colon cancer surgery, compared with two previously.
U.S. News, which has been compiling the list for 29 years, said it put more emphasis this year on patient outcomes and experiences. Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic and Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore were again first, second and third.
Two years ago Northwestern was No. 8 in the national ranking, climbing from 11th.
More than 4,500 medical centers nationwide across 25 specialties, procedures and conditions were examined. Northwestern was ranked among 11 of the categories; Rush (seven), Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood (six) and the U of C (three) also were mentioned.
Shirley Ryan AbilityLab was No. 1 for rehabilitation for the 28th year, including when it was known as the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago.
For cancer, Northwestern tied for 12th, U of C was 33rd and Rush 49th.
In cardiology and heart surgery, Northwestern was seventh and Loyola 27th, while Northwestern was 13th and Rush 36th in gynecology. Northwestern (No. 8), Rush (11) and Loyola (37) also placed in the neurology/neurosurgery category.
Rounding out the top 10 list of Chicago-area hospitals were NorthShore University Health-Evanston Hospital, Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital, and three other Advocate hospitals: Good Samaritan in Downers Grove, Lutheran General in Park Ridge and Sherman in Elgin.
The ranking does not include children’s hospitals like Lurie Children's Hospital.