U.S. News Ranks Spectrum Health Among Nation’s Best

Recognized as the top health care provider in Grand Rapids

Spectrum Health received recognition in three categories today in U.S. News Media & World Report’s 2011-12 Best Hospitals rankings, available online at www.usnews.com/besthospitals.

Spectrum Health was nationally ranked as among the top 50 hospitals in diabetes and endocrinology care; was listed as high performing in 10 other categories and was recognized as the top health care provider in Grand Rapids.

In addition to the national ranking in diabetes and endocrinology, Spectrum Health was listed as high performing in the specialties of cancer, cardiology and heart surgery, ear, nose and throat, gastroenterology, geriatrics, gynecology, nephrology, orthopedics, pulmonology and urology.

The latest rankings showcase 720 hospitals out of about 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.

“This national recognition reflects the commitment our physicians and employees have made in providing services on a level with the best hospitals in the country,” said Matt VanVranken, executive vice president, Spectrum Health Delivery System. “Our focus has always been high quality care. This listing underscores the achievements and abilities of our entire team.”

The core mission of Best Hospitals is to help guide patients who need an especially high level of care because of a difficult surgery, a challenging condition, or added risk because of other health problems or age. “These are referral centers where other hospitals send their sickest patients,” said Avery Comarow, U.S. News Health Rankings Editor. “Hospitals like these are ones you or those close to you should consider when the stakes are high.”

Covering 94 metro areas in the U.S., the regional hospital rankings complement the national rankings by including hospitals with solid performance nearly at the level of nationally ranked institutions. The regional rankings are aimed primarily at consumers whose care may not demand the special expertise found only at a nationally ranked Best Hospital or who may not be willing or able to travel long distances for medical care.

“These are hospitals we call ‘high performers.’ They are fully capable of giving most patients first-rate care, even if they have serious conditions or need demanding procedures,” Comarow said. “Almost every major metro area has at least one of these hospitals.”

Hard numbers stand behind the rankings in most specialties-death rates, patient safety, procedure volume, and other objective data. Responses to a national survey, in which physicians were asked to name hospitals they consider best in their specialty for the toughest cases, also were factored in.

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. The rankings, annually published by U.S. News for the past 22 years, also will be featured in the U.S. News Best Hospitals guidebook, which will go on sale August 30.

Spectrum Health is a not-for-profit health system in West Michigan offering a full continuum of care through the Spectrum Health Hospital Group, which is comprised of nine hospitals including Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, a state of the art children’s hospital that opened in January 2011, and 180 service sites; the Spectrum Health Medical Group and West Michigan Heart, physician groups totaling more than 600 providers; and Priority Health, a health plan with 625,000 members. Spectrum Health is West Michigan’s largest employer with more than 17,800 employees. The organization provided $115.9 million in community benefit during its 2010 fiscal year. In 2011 and 2010, Spectrum Health was named a Top 10 Health System by Thomson Reuters.