July 7, 2006

MGH fourth in best hospitals list for 2006

U.S. News & World Report has released its much-anticipated "America's Best Hospitals" honor roll for 2006, ranking the MGH fourth in the nation. MGH Psychiatry again ranked first in its category for the 11th year in a row. BWH also made the hospital honor roll, ranking 11th.

Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore was ranked first overall, the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., ranked second and Cleveland Clinic ranked third. Other Partners institutions that ranked in their area of specialty include McLean Hospital, ranking fourth in psychiatry, and Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, ranking seventh in rehabilitation. In addition, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, a sister institution of the MGH, ranked third in the ear, nose and throat category and fourth in ophthalmology.

The annual publication of the honor roll has become a resource for the general public in choosing hospitals for medical care. The publication ranked 176 medical centers based on a point system — two points for ranking close to the top in a specialty and one point if slightly below. All of the institutions had to achieve a high ranking in at least six specialties.

The MGH and BWH have been among the leading institutions since the publication began conducting the survey in 1990. For more information about the "Best Hospitals" issue, visit www.usnews.com.