Inova Fairfax Hospital Ranked Among the Nation’s Best by U.S. News & World Report
Inova Hospital Named in Three Specialties; Cardiac Services Among Top 25
Falls Church, VA – (July 11, 2008) – Inova Fairfax Hospital has once again been ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of “America’s Best Hospitals.” The hospital was selected among the best in three specialties, including a top 25 ranking for Heart and Heart Surgery. Nationally, this year’s rankings for Inova Fairfax Hospital are as follows:
Specialty Ranking Among Top 50
Heart and Heart Surgery 21
Gynecology 36
Digestive Disorders 39
“To see Inova Fairfax Hospital ranked among the best hospitals in the nation is a tribute to our physicians, nurses and staff, and their dedication to providing world-class patient care,” says L. Reuven Pasternak, MD, CEO, Inova Fairfax Hospital Campus; executive vice president, Academic Affairs, Inova Health System. “We’ve made a commitment to provide our patients with the best care possible, and we’re proud to have our efforts recognized at this national level.”
U.S. News & World Report uses rigorous standards in compiling its list of the nation’s best hospitals. Hospitals are ranked by specialty and not by specific procedures. Of the 5,453 hospitals evaluated, only 170 scored high enough to be ranked in at least one specialty.
According to U.S. News, the hospitals that are selected as one of “America’s Best” are often referral centers that typically treat complex conditions and conduct bench-to-bedside research.
In 12 of the 16 specialties, U.S. News ranked hospitals on hard data. To be considered, a hospital must first meet at least one of three requirements: be a member of the Council of Teaching Hospitals, be affiliated with a medical school, or make available to patients at least six out of 13 technology-related services, such as robotic surgery. Only one third of all hospitals qualified for these standards.
From there, each specialty had its own eligibility requirements. A hospital must have seen a specified minimum number of Medicare inpatients during 2004, 2005 and 2006 who had certain conditions or underwent certain procedures, or the hospital must have been recommended by at least one physician in recent U.S. News surveys. The remaining hospitals then received a numerical assessment made up of three equal parts: reputation, death rate and care-related factors, such as nursing and patient services.
This is the twelfth time in the past 13 years that Inova Fairfax Hospital has been ranked among the nation’s best hospitals. The 2008 edition of U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Hospitals” will be available on newsstands on Monday, July 14.
Inova Health System is a not-for-profit healthcare system based in Northern Virginia that consists of hospitals and other health services, including emergency- and urgent-care centers, home care, nursing homes, mental health and blood donor services, and wellness classes. Governed by a voluntary board of community members, Inova’s mission is to improve the health of the diverse community it serves through excellence in patient care, education and research. Inova provides a healthy environment for its patients, families, visitors, staff and physicians by prohibiting tobacco use on its campuses.