UCI Medical Center one of America’s Best Hospitals, top 10 in California
Programs in geriatrics, gastroenterology & GI surgery and gynecology nationally ranked
July 30, 2019
For the 19th consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report has recognized UCI Medical Center as one of America’s Best Hospitals. The annual rankings recognize hospitals that excel in treating the most challenging patients. This year, the report highlights the excellence of UCI Health programs in gynecology, No. 20 (tie), gastroenterology & GI surgery, No. 36 and geriatrics, No. 42 (tie) among similar programs nationally. The medical center is ranked No. 10 in California and No. 5 in the Los Angeles metropolitan region.
In addition, UCI Health programs in cancer, diabetes and endocrinology, nephrology, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopedics, pulmonology and lung surgery, and urology were rated as high performing.
“This 19th consecutive recognition as one of America’s Best Hospitals reflects the excellence of our entire team of physicians, nurses, therapists and support staff,” said Richard J. Gannotta, CEO, UCI Health System. “UCI Health plays a critical and unduplicated role in improving the health and wellness of our community, from managing complex cases to providing specialty care for any condition.”
Over the past 20 years, UCI Medical Center is the only Orange County hospital consistently rated among America’s best by U.S. News. The annual Best Hospitals rankings and ratings, now in their 30th year, are designed to assist patients and their doctors in making informed decisions about where to receive care for challenging health conditions or for common elective procedures.
“The commitment to improve health through discovery, innovation and dedicated service is at the heart of all we do,” said Steven Goldstein, MD, PhD, vice chancellor, UCI Health Affairs. “Each day, our faculty and staff deliver exemplary clinical care in the UCI Health system, powered by the groundbreaking advances of a world-class research university.”
The hospitalists of the UCI Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology provide around-the-clock expertise in labor and delivery. The department’s female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery program has helped thousands of women suffering in silence with urinary, fecal incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse. Maternal-fetal medicine experts are leaders in improving care in high-risk pregnancies and have led efforts to reduce cardiovascular risk during pregnancy. The department’s gynecologic oncologists provide unmatched clinical care in Southern California and have led national efforts to advance the standards of care for gynecologic cancers.
Practicing at the state-of-the-art H. H. Chao Comprehensive Digestive Disease Center, the physicians and staff in the UCI Health gastroenterology and gastrointestinal surgery programs provide world-class care for the entire range of digestive diseases. Executive Director Kenneth J. Chang, MD, is recognized as a leader in the field and has pioneered widely-adopted minimally invasive treatments. Associate Director Ninh T. Nguyen, MD, chair of the UCI Department of Surgery, is an innovator and national leader in minimally invasive GI and bariatric surgery. UCI Health advances in digestive diseases include the development of artificial intelligence protocols to improve colonoscopy outcomes and the detection of esophageal cancer malignancies.
The UCI Program in Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology has long been an advocate for improving senior health. The UCI Health SeniorHealth Center provides unmatched access to healthcare for older adults and was among the country’s first patient-centered medical homes focusing on geriatric care and Centers of Excellence in Elder Abuse. Leading research includes a clinical trial seeking to determine whether stem cells might slow or reverse frailty among older adults.
UCI Health also achieved the highest rating possible in four common adult procedures and conditions identified by U.S. News:
For the 2019-20 rankings and ratings, U.S. News evaluated more than 4,500 medical centers nationwide in 25 specialties, procedures and conditions. In the 16 specialty areas, 165 hospitals were ranked in at least one specialty. In rankings by state and metro area, U.S. News recognized hospitals as high performing across multiple areas of care.
“For 30 years, U.S. News has strived to make hospital quality more transparent to healthcare consumers nationwide,” said Ben Harder, the publication's managing editor and chief of health analysis. “By providing the most comprehensive data available on nearly every hospital across the United States, we give patients, families and physicians information to support their search for the best care across a range of procedures, conditions and specialties.
The U.S. News Best Hospitals methodologies in most areas of care are based largely on objective measures such as risk-adjusted survival and discharge-to-home rates, volume, and quality of nursing, among other care-related indicators.
Best Hospitals was produced by U.S. News with RTI International, a leading research organization based in Research Triangle Park, N.C.
For more information about the 2019-20 rankings and ratings, please visit the FAQ. The rankings will be published in the U.S. News “Best Hospitals 2020” guidebook, available for pre-order now from the U.S. News Online Store and for purchase at other bookstores in mid-September.
For more information, visit Best Hospitals and use #BestHospitals on Facebook and Twitter.
UCI Health System is the clinical enterprise of the University of California, Irvine. Patients can access UCI Health at primary and specialty care offices across Orange County and at its main campus, UCI Medical Center in Orange, California. The 417-bed acute care hospital, listed among America’s Best Hospitals by U.S. News & World Report for the 19th consecutive year, provides tertiary and quaternary care, ambulatory and specialty medical clinics, and behavioral health and rehabilitation services. UCI Medical Center is home to Orange County’s only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center, high-risk perinatal/neonatal program and American College of Surgeons-verified Level I adult and Level II pediatric trauma center and regional burn center. UCI Health serves a region of nearly 4 million people in Orange County, western Riverside County and southeast Los Angeles County. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UCI is the youngest member of the prestigious Association of American Universities. The campus has produced three Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UCI has more than 30,000 students and offers 192 degree programs. It’s located in one of the world’s safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County’s second-largest employer, contributing $5 billion annually to the local economy. It is ranked the third best U.S. college by Money magazine and the No. 7 public university by U.S. News & World Report. For more on UCI, visit www.uci.edu.
