UC Davis Children’s Hospital again named among nation’s best

U.S. News and World Report’s annual rankings showcase clinical-care excellence

(WASHINGTON, D.C.)

June 15, 2021 – UC Davis Children’s Hospital has been recognized as a Best Children’s Hospital for 2021-22 by U.S. News & World Report.

UC Davis Children’s Hospital has been nationally ranked in four pediatric specialties.
UC Davis Children’s Hospital has been nationally ranked in four pediatric specialties.

The annual Best Children’s Hospitals rankings and ratings, now in their 15th year, are designed to assist patients, their families and their doctors in making informed decisions about where to receive care for challenging health conditions. 

UC Davis Children’s Hospital is nationally ranked among the nation’s 50 best in these four specialty care areas:   

  • 25th nationally in nephrology
  • 29th nationally in neonatology
  • 22nd nationally in orthopedics
  • 37th nationally in urology

The orthopedics and urology rankings were awarded in collaboration with Shriners Hospitals for Children – Northern California, UC Davis Children’s Hospital’s longstanding partner in caring for children with burns, spinal cord injuries, orthopedic disorders and urological issues. 

“We are so pleased to be in the top 50 best children’s hospitals once again according to U.S. News,” said Brad Simmons, chief administrator of UC Davis Medical Center and its children’s hospital. “Congratulations to our whole team for providing the highest standards of care to our pediatric patients and their families.” 

For 2021-22, U.S. News ranked the top 50 centers in each of these 10 pediatric specialties: cancer, cardiology & heart surgery, diabetes & endocrinology, gastroenterology & gastrointestinal surgery, neonatology, nephrology, neurology & neurosurgery, orthopedics, pulmonology & lung surgery and urology.   

“When choosing a hospital for a sick child, many parents want specialized expertise, convenience and caring medical professionals,” said Ben Harder, chief of health analysis and managing editor at U.S. News. “The Best Children's Hospitals rankings have always highlighted hospitals that excel in specialized care. As the pandemic continues to affect travel, finding high-quality care close to home has never been more important.” 

The Best Children's Hospitals methodology factors objective measures such as patient outcomes, including mortality and infection rates, as well as available clinical resources and compliance with best practices. To calculate the Best Children’s Hospitals rankings, U.S. News gathered relevant data from children’s hospitals in early 2020 and from pediatric physicians and other healthcare organizations in 2021; because of the pandemic, data collection from children’s hospitals was not repeated in 2021. 

RTI International, a North Carolina-based research and consulting firm, collected and analyzed data from 118 children’s hospitals and surveyed thousands of pediatric specialists. More than 100 pediatric specialists and other experts provided input through methodology working groups. 

This year’s rankings will be published in the U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Hospitals 2022” guidebook, available in stores Oct. 5.

About UC Davis Children’s Hospital

UC Davis Children's Hospital is the Sacramento region's only nationally ranked, comprehensive hospital providing care for infants, children, adolescents and young adults needing primary, subspecialty and critical care. It includes the Central Valley's only pediatric emergency department and level I pediatric trauma center, which offers the highest level of care for its critically ill patients, as well as a level I children’s surgery center. The children's hospital includes the state-of-the-art 49-bed neonatal and 24-bed pediatric intensive care and pediatric cardiac intensive care units. For more information, visit children.ucdavis.edu.

About U.S. News & World Report

U.S. News & World Report is the global leader in quality rankings that empower citizens, consumers, business leaders and policy officials to make better, more informed decisions about important issues affecting their lives. A multifaceted digital media company with Education, Health, Money, Travel, Cars, News and 360 Reviews platforms, U.S. News provides rankings, independent reporting, data journalism, consumer advice and U.S. News Live events. More than 40 million people visit USNews.com each month for research and guidance. Founded in 1933, U.S. News is headquartered in Washington, D.C.

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