UI Health ranked No. 8 in Illinois
The University of Illinois Hospital & Health Sciences System is ranked in the top 10 hospitals in the Chicago metro area and in Illinois for 2016-17 by U.S. News & World Report.
Photo: UI Hospital Marketing
The hospital, which was ranked 23rd regionally and 27th in the state last year, rose to the No. 8 spot in both categories this year.
“These rankings reflect the continuous efforts of our staff to improve patient safety and outcomes and to create a better patient experience from the moment they walk in the door, to the time they leave the hospital and on to follow up care,” said Avijit Ghosh, chief executive officer, UI Health Hospital and Clinics.
“To be ranked in the top 10 hospitals in Chicago and across the state means that our patients, including a significant underserved population that has traditionally carried a disproportionate burden of disease, is getting some of the very best care available,” said Dr. Robert Barish, vice chancellor for health affairs at the University of Illinois at Chicago. “We’re making continued progress towards reducing health disparities that affect our local communities.”
The leap forward in the rankings can be attributed to the success of numerous programs focused on improving outcomes for both inpatients and outpatients, said Jodi Joyce, associate vice chancellor for quality and patient safety at UI Health.
“University of Illinois Hospital has initiated a number of efforts aimed at substantially improving care processes and clinical outcomes,” Joyce said. “Led by teams of physicians, nurses, and other clinical leaders and staff, these initiatives have resulted in double-digit reductions in hospital-related infections, blood clots after surgery, and patients injured from falls. We are excited that the change in our ranking is a direct reflection of improvements in the care that our patients are receiving.”
The rankings, produced by U.S. News with RTI International, a research organization based in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, are now in their 27th year. They focus on 25 specialties, procedures and conditions. The ranking is based on such measures as patient survival, the number of times each procedure is performed, infection rates, and nurse staffing.
UI Health’s otolaryngology/ear, nose and throat program made the list of ranked specialty programs for the first time this year. The hospital’s nephrology program was listed as a high-performing specialty.
The University of Illinois Hospital & Health Sciences System is a public academic medical center committed to providing the highest quality care for all patients and to reducing health disparities. UI Health is a leader in patient care, research and education, and serves as the primary teaching facility for the UIC College of Medicine, the largest medical school in the U.S. The system includes seven health sciences colleges, a 495-bed hospital, the 101-bed Children’s Hospital University of Illinois, an outpatient care center and 13 federally qualified Mile Square Health Centers located throughout Chicago.
