U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals Rankings: Valley Medical Center Ranks Fourth In Seattle Area

is recognized among the Best Hospitals in the Puget Sound, according to the U.S. News & World Report annual Best Hospitals rankings.

Established in 1947, Valley Medical Center was ranked 4 out of 35 hospitals in the Seattle metro area, and No. 7 in Washington state out of more than 100 hospitals. Valley Medical Center is also ranked as a high-performing hospital in orthopedics, and diabetes and endocrinology.

This year’s Best Hospitals, the 23rd annual edition, showcases more than 720 of the nation’s roughly 5,000 hospitals. Fewer than 150 are nationally ranked in at least one of 16 medical specialties.

“We are very proud of our ranking by U.S. News & World Report, and also UW Medical Center’s ranking as No. 1 in the region and in the state of Washington,” said Rich Roodman, Valley Medical Center CEO. “Improving the health of our community is our collective mission and it’s gratifying to be recognized for our work.”

The hospital rankings, said U.S. News Health Rankings Editor Avery Comarow, are like a GPS-type aid to help steer patients to hospitals with strong skills in the procedures and medical conditions that present the biggest challenges. “All of these hospitals are the kinds of medical centers that should be on your list when you need the best care,” said Comarow. “They are where other hospitals send the toughest cases.”

The rankings were published by U.S. News in collaboration with RTI International, a research organization based in Research Triangle Park, N.C. Highlights of the 2012-13 rankings will appear in the U.S. News Best Hospitals 2013 guidebook, to go on sale in August.

UW Medicine’s two academic medical centers are ranked the best in the region and the state of Washington inU.S. News & World Report’s 2012 edition of America’s Best Hospitals. UW Medical Center holds the No. 1 rank and Harborview Medical Center is No. 2 out of 35 hospitals in the Seattle metropolitan area and more than 100 hospitals in the state.

The complete rankings and methodology are available at http://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals.

*Editor's Note: Information provided by Valley Medical Center.