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The University of Tennessee Health Science Center

Communications and Marketing

Sheila Champlin – (901) 448-4957, schampli@uthsc.edu

 

 

The University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville Joins

Le Bonheur Children's Hospital in U.S. News & World Report

Rankings for Best Hospitals in Nation

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The University of Tennessee Health Science Center's

Core Teaching Hospitals/Systems on 'Best' List Across the State

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         Memphis, Tenn. (July 25, 2012) – In the most recent U.S. News & World Report "Best Regional Hospitals Rankings," the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville, a core teaching hospital for the University of Tennessee Health Science Center's (UTHSC) Graduate School of Medicine, was nationally ranked in two adult specialties, gynecology and pulmonology.  UT Medical Center (UTMC) was also high-performing in 10 adult specialties: cancer; cardiology/heart surgery; diabetes and endocrinology; ear, nose and throat; gastroenterology; geriatrics; nephrology; neurology/neurosurgery; orthopedics, and urology.  UTMC also scored high in patient safety, demonstrating commitment to reducing accidents and medical errors.  UTMC was nationally ranked as #2 in the state.

 

         In an earlier ranking of pediatric hospitals, Le Bonheur Children's Hospital was nationally ranked in five areas.  The recent U.S. News & World Report rankings named the Methodist hospitals, also core teaching hospitals for UTHSC, as #1 in the Memphis metropolitan area and #3 in Tennessee.  The five nationally ranked pediatric specialties at Le Bonheur, part of the Methodist system, were neurology/neurosurgery; orthopedics; pulmonology; nephrology, and cardiology/heart surgery.  The Methodist system was also recognized for 12 high-performing adult specialties: cancer; diabetes; endocrinology; gastroenterology; gynecology; neurology and neurosurgery; pulmonology; cardiology and heart surgery; ear, nose and throat; geriatrics, nephrology, orthopedics and urology.  

 

         This is the second consecutive year that Le Bonheur Children's Hospital was named one of the best children's hospitals in the country.  The UT Le Bonheur Pediatric Specialists faculty practice, with UTHSC faculty in Campbell Clinic Orthopedics and Semmes-Murphey Neurologic and Spine Institute, constitutes the overwhelming majority of the specialist physicians in Le Bonheur. 

 

         Additionally, Erlanger Health System was cited as the Best Regional Hospital in the metropolitan Chattanooga area by U.S. News & World Report.  The rankings recognized Erlanger for seven high-performing specialties: diabetes and endocrinology, gastroenterology, gynecology, kidney disorders, pulmonology, and urology.  Erlanger is a main teaching hospital site for UTHSC where the university provides excellence in medical student and postgraduate physician education. 

 

         "Our faculty and staff's individual and collective commitment to compassionate, quality patient care and excellence in everything they do are central drivers of these high rankings.  We applaud them and our health care partners as we forge ahead together to even greater accomplishments for the benefit of our statewide community," said UTHSC Chancellor Steve J. Schwab, MD.

    

         As the flagship statewide academic health system, the mission of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center is to bring the benefits of the health sciences to the achievement and maintenance of human health, with a focus on the citizens of Tennessee and the region, by pursuing an integrated program of education, research, clinical care, and public service.  In 2011, UT Health Science Center celebrated its centennial: 100 years advancing the future of health care.  Offering a broad range of postgraduate training opportunities, the main UTHSC campus is located in Memphis and includes six colleges: Allied Health Sciences, Dentistry, Graduate Health Sciences, Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy.  The UTHSC campus in Knoxville includes a College of Medicine, College of Pharmacy, and an Allied Health Sciences unit.  In addition, the UTHSC Chattanooga campus includes a College of Medicine and an Allied Health Sciences unit.  Since its founding in 1911, UTHSC has educated and trained more than 53,000 health care professionals on campuses and in health care facilities across the state.  For more information, visit www.uthsc.edu.

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