Methodology

To calculate this year's rankings, U.S. News  partnered with RTI International to collect and analyze data from 119 children's hospitals, as well as survey responses from roughly 25,000 pediatric specialists. The hospitals were ranked across 10 pediatric specialties, including:

• Cancer
• Cardiology & heart surgery
• Diabetes & endocrinology
• Gastroenterology & GI surgery
• Neonatology
• Nephrology
• Neurology & neurosurgery
• Orthopedics
• Pulmonology & lung surgery
• Urology

To determine each hospital's score, U.S. News evaluated how well a facility performed in three areas:

• Structure, which refers to hospital resources that are directly related to patient care
• Process, which includes diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and patient intervention
• Outcomes, which include survival, functional success, and incidence of adverse events

For this year's rankings, U.S. News also adjusted the weights of several objective measures, including for measures of best practices; commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion; and expert opinion.

The 'Best Children's Hospitals'

Overall, U.S. News recognized 85 hospitals in this year's rankings. The 10 hospitals on the Honor Roll, a distinction awarded to facilities that deliver exceptional care in multiple specialties, are:

1.       Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (Cincinnati, OH)

2.       Boston Children's Hospital (Boston, MA)

3.       Texas Children's Hospital (Houston, TX)

4.       Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (Philadelphia, PA)

5.       Children's National Hospital (Washington, D.C.)

6.       Nationwide Children's Hospital (Columbus, OH)

7.       Children's Hospital Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA)

8.       UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh, PA)

9.       Rady Children's Hospital (San Diego, CA)

10.   Johns Hopkins Children's Center (Baltimore, MD)

According to U.S. News, this is the first year Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical has taken the top spot on the list's Honor Roll. Last year, the hospital ranked third.

Across the list's 10 pediatric specialties, the No. 1 hospital in each was:

• Cancer: Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
•   Cardiology & heart surgery: Texas Children's Hospital
• Diabetes & endocrinology: Boston Children's Hospital and Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (tie)
• Gastroenterology & GI surgery: Boston Children's Hospital
• Neonatology: Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
• Nephrology: Texas Children's Hospital
• Neurology & neurosurgery: Boston Children's Hospital
• Orthopedics: Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
• Pulmonology & lung surgery: Texas Children's Hospital
• Urology: Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center

"Parents of sick children face many difficult challenges, including how to identify the best children's hospital to treat their illness or condition," said Ben Harder, chief of health analysis and managing editor at U.S. News. "The rankings,  which are increasingly determined by objective measures of hospital quality, can help them make informed decisions." ("Best Children's Hospitals," U.S. News & World Report, 6/21; U.S. News & World Report methodology, 6/21; U.S. News & World Report press release, 6/21)

U.S. News & World Report last week announced it will adjust its methodology for its Best Hospitals and Best Children's Hospitals rankings, following  backlash from some medical schools over how the publication creates its lists. Read on to learn the changes.