University of Maryland Medical Center Gains National Prominence in Best Hospitals Rankings

July 29, 2019

The University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) is ranked #10 in caring for patients with ear, nose and throat (ENT) conditions and #16 in cancer care, according to the 2019-20 US News & World Report’s Best Hospitals specialty rankings released today.

UMMC moved up 29 places in the ENT rankings and 16 places in the rankings for cancer compared to the 2018-2019 US News & World Report best hospitals specialties list.

The publication analyzes data from nearly 5,000 hospitals and survey responses from more than 30,000 physicians to rank hospitals in 16 adult specialties. In 12 of the specialty areas, including cancer and ENT, the ranking is determined largely by objective data. This year, for the first time, patient experience was also factored into the rankings, which takes into account patient outcomes, key programs and services, advanced technologies, nursing and other professional staff, volume of high-risk patients, and endorsements by national organizations recognizing high standards of care.

“The latest US News & World Report rankings recognize what we have known all along that the University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center is a world-class institution and one of the top cancer centers in the country,” says Mohan Suntha, MD, MBA, UMMC’s president and chief executive officer.

“We are equally proud that our Department of Otorhinolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery–which cares for many patients with cancer as well as other benign conditions of the ear, nose and throat has achieved this well-deserved national recognition as a top 10 program,” Dr. Suntha says.

“Congratulations to our physician leaders and the teams of dedicated professionals for their hard work in developing these world-class programs and for providing excellent care to patients in Maryland and beyond,” Dr. Suntha says.

“The significant improvement in rankings is a testament to the state-of-the-art care and innovative treatments that patients receive at our hospital from medical school faculty who are fully engaged in both clinical care and research,” said E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs, UM Baltimore, and the John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor and Dean, University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM). “It demonstrates the full engagement of our faculty in both the care of patients and the training of new physicians.”

In addition to these national rankings, UMMC is the highest-ranked hospital in Maryland for ENT care and is ranked #2 for cancer and overall in the state.

Rodney J. Taylor, MD, MPH, professor and interim chair of otorhinolaryngology-head and neck surgery, says, “To be ranked #10 in the country for ENT is a tremendous achievement for our department. We are committed to excellence in patient care, research and training our future leaders. I am incredibly proud of our dedicated team of highly-trained faculty who treat patients with complex conditions seen across the full range of our specialty. Because we have excellence across so many clinical specialties at our medical center, we are able to provide state-of-the-art care in a compassionate and multidisciplinary fashion for every patient that comes through our door.”

The University of Maryland Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center (UMGCCC) is one of only 50 National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated comprehensive cancer centers in the country. UMGCCC received NCI’s highest designation as a comprehensive cancer center in 2016. There are a total of 70 NCI-designated cancer centers, representing about 4 percent of the 1,500 cancer centers in the nation. UMGCCC is a joint entity of UMMC and UMSOM.

Kevin J. Cullen, MD, the Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum distinguished professor of oncology and UMGCCC’s director, calls the cancer center’s #16 ranking, “a tribute to our entire staff.” “It reflects our increasing ability to provide multidisciplinary care, the latest therapies and cutting-edge clinical trials to patients battling cancer,” Dr. Cullen says. “We have become a resource for outstanding, compassionate cancer care for patients in Maryland, the region and the nation.”

In June, the Children’s Heart Program at the University of Maryland Children’s Hospital (UMCH) was ranked among the nation’s top 50 pediatric cardiology and heart surgery centers, moving up nine places to #32.

Continue reading the full news story at www.umms.org/ummc.