The children’s hospitals of University of California Health were recognized for excellence in multiple areas of subspecialty care by U.S. News & World Report in its 2021–22 Best Children’s Hospitals rankings. The annual rankings serve as a guide to hospitals nationwide that excel in treating children with the most challenging diagnoses.

All of UC’s pediatric hospitals were ranked in the top 50 in the country in multiple specialties that involve caring for children with medically complex conditions. Of the 193 children’s hospitals reviewed this year, just 89 of them scored high enough to be included in the rankings of the pediatric specialties evaluated.

“Improving the health of children across our state has never been more important than in the past year of the pandemic. Our children's hospitals and care teams work tirelessly for the most seriously ill children and those in need of routine and preventative care," said Dr. Carrie L. Byington, executive vice president of University of California Health and a pediatric infectious disease expert. "I'm proud of this recognition for them and the work they do every day for our youngest patients.”

The rankings earned by each University of California Health children’s hospital are:

• UC Davis Children’s Hospital was ranked among the country’s best in four pediatric specialty care areas: neonatology, nephrology, orthopedics and urology. The orthopedics and urology rankings were awarded in collaboration with Shriners Hospitals for Children – Northern California, UC Davis Children’s Hospital’s longstanding partner in caring for children with burns, spinal cord injuries, orthopedic disorders, and urological issues.

• UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital, located within Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, was recognized for its broad excellence in pediatric care in six specialties: cancer, gastroenterology and gastrointestinal surgery, orthopedics, neonatology, nephrology, and neurology and neurosurgery.

• UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals in San Francisco and Oakland, located on opposite sides of the San Francisco bay, were evaluated jointly by U.S. News & World Report. Together they placed nationwide for all 10 specialties surveyed, including ranking among the top 20 hospitals in the country in pediatric cancer, diabetes and endocrinology, neonatology, nephrology, neurology and neurosurgery, and urology. The hospitals also were recognized in four other pediatric specialties: cardiology and heart surgery, gastroenterology and GI surgery, orthopedics, and pulmonology and lung surgery.

The annual assessment, now in its 15th year, is based on clinical data and a national survey of pediatric specialists. The methodology reflects clinical outcomes such as patient survival, infection rates and complications; the level and quality of hospital resources directly related to patient care, including staffing, special services and technology; delivery of health care, such as programs to prevent infection and promote adherence to best practices; and expert opinion from surveys of pediatric specialists. U.S. News gathered data from children's hospitals in early 2020 and from pediatric physicians and other healthcare organizations in 2021; because of the pandemic, data collection from children's hospitals was not repeated in 2021.

For 2021-22, U.S. News ranked the top 50 centers in each of these 10 pediatric specialties: cancer, cardiology & heart surgery, diabetes & endocrinology, gastroenterology & gastrointestinal surgery, neonatology, nephrology, neurology & neurosurgery, orthopedics, pulmonology & lung surgery and urology.

About University of California Health

University of California Health (UCH) comprises six academic health centers, 20 health professional schools, a Global Health Institute and systemwide services that improve the health of patients and the University’s students, faculty and employees. All of UC’s hospitals are ranked among the best in California and its medical schools and health professional schools are nationally ranked in their respective areas. More information and news from University of California Health is available here.