As Kentucky personal injury attorneys, we want you to receive the best medical care and rehabilitation you need if you are ever involved in an accident. According to the most recent U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals Honor Roles and Specialty Ranking, Kentuckians have excellent options for medical treatment within the Commonwealth.
Each year, the U.S. News & World Report releases a list of the top hospitals in the United States. The report lists the top 20 best adult treatment and child care centers in each category, as well as rankings for specialties and procedures. The hospitals receive “honor roll” points if they ranked in more than one of the 16 specialties.
Although no Kentucky hospital is on the adult honor roll or the children’s care roll list, one facility is nationally ranked by specialty, and five are regarded as “high performing.” To be considered “high performing,” a facility must be rated in the top 10 percent of a specific category.
The U.S. News & World Report utilizes different criteria to weigh and evaluate more than 4,500 medical facilities in the nation. The report considers risk management data, Medicare data, hospital volume, patient discharge, and public transparency, among other factors. For some specialties, expert opinions are considered and weighed accordingly. While these rankings are not limited to teaching hospitals, Veterans Administration (VA) and military medical centers are not evaluated in the rankings.
In Kentucky, the top six medical centers were as follow:
1. The University of Kentucky Albert B. Chandler Hospital in Lexington
2. St. Elizabeth Healthcare Edgewood-Covington Hospitals in Edgewood
3. (Tie) Baptist Health Medical Centers in Lexington and Louisville
4. The Norton Hospital in Louisville
5. The Baptist Health Paducah Hospital
The Lexington area is home to the top and third-highest rated hospitals on this year’s list. The University of Kentucky Albert B. Chandler Hospital earned the Commonwealth’s top medical center ranking and is nationally ranked for cancer treatment. The hospital is also rated “high performing” for the following procedures and treatments: aortic valve surgery, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) treatment, colon cancer surgery, lung cancer surgery, heart bypass surgery, heart failure treatment, hip replacement, and knee replacement.
Also in Lexington, the Baptist Health Hospital tied for Kentucky’s third-place ranking, while earning a “high performing” distinction for the seven aforementioned procedures and treatments.
Louisville is home to two of the top-six Kentucky hospitals. The Louisville Baptist Health Hospital tied for third place in the state’s rankings while also earning the same “high performing” distinctions as its Lexington center. In addition, the Norton Hospital in Louisville ranks fifth-place and is considered “high performing” for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) treatment, colon cancer surgery, heart failure treatment, hip replacement, and knee replacement.
The St. Elizabeth Healthcare Edgewood-Covington Hospital takes second place on Kentucky’s list of top-performing medical facilities. St. Elizabeth is rated “high performing” for its urology treatments and abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, as well as many of the same treatments as the previously mentioned medical centers.
The Baptist Health Hospital in Paducah earns the sixth-place spot in Kentucky’s rankings. The facility is singled out for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) treatment, aortic valve surgery, and heart failure treatments.
Although these facilities may have strong reputations, they may not always be the perfect fit for your treatment. That’s because every case is different with specific treatment needs and limitations. So while these hospitals received high rankings, they may not be the best fit for your needs. The U.S. News & World Report rankings are meant to serve as a guideline, not a final recommendation for the treatment you may need from a medical facility.
If you are looking for medical treatment after an injury in Kentucky, contact the accident attorneys at the Becker Law Office. We will listen to what you’ve been through and help you get the proper treatment and settlement for your Kentucky personal injury case.
