U-M Hospitals: Ninth Best in the Nation in 1999, According to U.S. News and World Report

The University of Michigan Hospitals have moved back onto the “Top 10” list of best hospitals in America, according to the 1999 survey released by U.S. News and World Report magazine. The U-M Hospitals ranked ninth, up from a ranking of 12th in 1998.

Thirteen hospitals in America made this year’s U.S. News and World Report Honor Roll. The U-M Hospitals continued to score high in nearly every category and showed improvement in several areas.

The U-M received recognition in 14 of 16 specialties considered, with six specialties ranked ninth or higher and 12 listed in the top 20 in their respective categories. Specialties making the biggest gains were cancer, which jumped to the number nine spot nationally after being ranked 20th in 1998, and orthopedics, which ranked 14th after coming in at 36th in 1998.

Overall, 1,881 of the nation’s 6,299 hospitals met the magazine’s eligibility requirements. The final rankings encompass 188 different hospitals. The concept and design of the statistical model used for the rankings were created by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago but have a distinct Michigan connection. They are based on a theme called the Donabedian paradigm, created by Avedis Donabedian, professor emeritus, health management and policy, in the U-M School of Public Health.