carlos-migoya_web.jpgMIAMI – The University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Medical Center was once again named the No. 1 hospital in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale metro area by U.S. News & World Report. The publication also named UM/Jackson among the nation’s elite with six high-performing programs.

These rankings released Tuesday are considered the gold standard in recognizing hospitals that provide exceptional care in several specialties. Just 3 percent of the nation’s nearly 5,000 hospitals earned a national ranking in at least one of the 16 specialties evaluated, and only about 15 percent were recognized for high performance.

“This national honor is a testament to the expertise and collaboration of Jackson Health System and the physicians and surgeons from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine,” said Carlos A. Migoya, president and CEO of Jackson Health System. “Whether for everyday emergencies or life-threatening conditions, patients across Miami-Dade and around the world choose Jackson for compassionate, world-class care.”

“The UM/Jackson Memorial Medical Center is working hard every day to earn the continued trust and support of patients, caregivers and taxpayer-owners.”

The U.S. News & World Report Best Metro Hospital rankings evaluated 73 hospitals in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Palm Beach area. UM/Jackson came out on top, beating out all of its competitors.

UM/Jackson was also recognized by U.S. News & World Report’s annual Best Hospitals survey, with six high performing specialties: cancer, gastroenterology and GI surgery, nephrology, neurology and neurosurgery, psychiatry and urology. UM’s Bascom Palmer Eye Institute ranked No. 1 in ophthalmology for the tenth consecutive year.

“This remarkable decade-long streak as No. 1 confirms Bascom Palmer’s reputation as America’s leader in providing the most advanced and comprehensive vision care,” said Pascal J. Goldschmidt, M.D., senior vice president for Medical Affairs, dean of the Miller School and CEO of UHealth.

“Our amazing Bascom Palmer team is consistently redefining excellence – in vision research, clinical care and education – which brings hope to patients with some of the world’s most debilitating ophthalmological conditions.”

The new rankings come a month after Holtz Children’s Hospital was recognized among the best in the country in U.S. News & World Report’s Best Children’s Hospitals rankings. Holtz ranked 22nd in gastroenterology and GI surgery, 22nd in nephrology, 32nd in neonatology, 38th in urology, 40th in cardiology and heart surgery, and 45th in diabetes and endocrinology.

The 2013-14 rankings are published online and will appear in the Best Hospitals 2014 guidebook, which will be available in bookstores and on newsstands August 27.