WASHINGTON D.C.—Freeman Health System has been ranked high performing in five specialties by the U.S. News & World Reports 2011-12 Best Hospitals assessment.
The latest rankings showcase 720 hospitals out of 5,000 hospitals nationwide. Each is ranked among the country’s top hospitals in at least one medical specialty and/or ranked among the best hospitals in its metro area. Freeman was recognized for five of its specialties, including geriatrics, nephrology, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopaedics, and pulmonology.
“This national distinction is a testament to the dedication and passion Freeman caregivers have for our patients,” said Paula Baker, Freeman President and Chief Executive Officer. “I am very proud of the Freeman team for earning this recognition. As the community’s only locally owned and locally governed not-for-profit health system, we have again demonstrated our commitment to excellence in patient care.”
The core mission of the U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hospitals ranking is to help guide patients who need an especially high level of care. “Hospitals listed in this ranking are referral centers where other hospitals send their sickest patients,” said Avery Comarow, U.S. News Health Rankings Editor. “Hospitals like Freeman are those you or those close to you should consider when the stakes are high.”
Covering 94 metro areas in the U.S., the regional rankings are aimed primarily at consumers who may not be willing or able to travel long distances for medical care. The U.S. News metro rankings give such patients and their families more healthcare options within their community.
“These are hospitals we call ‘high performers,’” said Comarow.
Hard numbers stand behind the rankings—death rates, patient safety, procedure volume, and other objective data. Also factored in were responses to a national survey in which physicians were asked to name hospitals they consider best in their specialty for the toughest cases.
The rankings cover 16 medical specialties and all 94 metro areas that have at least 500,000 residents and at least one hospital that performed well enough to be ranked.
About Freeman Health System
Based in Joplin, Missouri, Freeman Health System is the area’s only locally owned, not-for-profit health system, serving southwest Missouri, southeast Kansas, northeast Oklahoma, and northwest Arkansas. Freeman provides comprehensive healthcare and behavioral health services, including cancer care, heart and vascular care, neurosciences, orthopaedics, and women’s services, with more than 300 physicians representing 60 specialties. For more information, visit freemanhealth.com or facebook.com/freemanhealthsystem, or follow Freeman President and Chief Executive Officer Paula Baker at twitter.com/freemanceo.