From cancer to psychiatry, superior care’s in metro area
WHILE DEMOCRATS and Republicans debate the merits of Obamacare, cost-sharing subsidies and out-of-pocket expenses, a mother in the Bronx is trying to determine the best place to get cancer treatment for her kid.
For her, the health care issue isn’t a political tennis match where the ball ends up bouncing in some ideological court. It is a series of critical decisions about affordability, quality of service and compassionate care.
Luckily, she has a road map — the U.S. News & World Report annual hospital rankings — a practical guide to the best health care in New York City and beyond.
Among the hospitals in excellent health are New York-Presbyterian, Mount Sinai and NYU Langone Medical Center. Each has at least 10 nationally ranked adult specialties.
New York-Presbyterian scored the No. 1 overall spot in the New York metro area. In cardiology and heart surgery, New YorkPresbyterian was ranked nationally at No. 3, and it took the No. 4 spot for neurology and neurosurgery.
“Every day, our staff demonstrates a remarkable commitment to providing worldclass care,” said Dr. Steven Corwin, president and CEO of New York-Presbyterian.
“Patients of all backgrounds know that they can come to us and be treated with compassion, dignity and respect, and they will have access to highly advanced, lifesaving treatments from renowned physicians at Columbia University Medical Center and Weill Cornell Medicine. We are proud to be recognized as one of the best hospitals in the country.”
Matthew Fink, New York-Presbyterian’s neurologist-in-chief, added, “For us, it’s always been asking what’s next on the horizon. How do we deliver the highest quality of care in the most compassionate of manners?
“We thrive on being innovators,” he said. “We had a huge opportunity to make new discoveries that are going to change the lives of people. I can’t begin to tell you how great it feels to treat a patient on death’s door and they’re fully recovered. That’s why we’ve gone into this field, to help people. That is one of the greatest feelings you can possibly get.”
The staff at Mount Sinai also has been able to celebrate its success. Along with a No. 2 Big Apple rating, the hospital ranks No. 3 nationally in geriatrics and No. 9 in cardiology and heart surgery.
Some of the city’s specialty hospitals also fared extremely well.
Memorial Sloan Kettering ranked No. 2 nationally in treatment of cancer and in gynecology, as well as fifth in urology and 20th for ear, nose and throat.
“We are delighted and honored once again to be one of the nation’s top hospitals for cancer,” said Memorial Sloan Kettering President and CEO Craig Thompson. “But this recognition is really a reflection of an entire community of exceptional people — our dedicated staff of almost 16,000 and our patients, who have placed their trust in our care. We may be one of the top hospitals in the national rankings for this year, but our patients are No. 1 to us every day.”
The Hospital for Special Surgery ranked first in the nation for orthopedics and third for rheumatology.
Although the rankings are a feather in the hospitals’ caps, and a powerful recruitment tool, the good grades play a bigger role in helping patients decide where to get the best treatment.
“It all depends on what your diagnosis or medical need is,” said Ben Harder, chief of health analysis at U.S. News & World Report.
Hospitals were ranked in 25 fields including rheumatology, urology, diabetes and endocrinology and gynecology.
Whether it’s a mobile stroke unit dispatched from New York-Presbyterian, spine treatment at the Hospital for Special Surgery or cancer care at Memorial Sloan Kettering, the best hospitals have the same goals — quality care and peace of mind for their patients.
“A lot of people get caught up in the competitiveness. Everyone wants to be the best,” Harder said. “But what shouldn’t be lost sight of is that New York City has a plethora of good hospitals. Some are good at one thing — some are good at many things.”