The University City and La Jolla area can claim two of the best hospitals in the nation, according to U.S. News & World Report’s issue devoted to outstanding health care across the nation, “America’s Best Hospitals.”
The magazine recognized both Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla and the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) Medical Centers, which includes UCSD Thornton Hospital in La Jolla, as the best in the nation in several specialty areas.
Of the 5,189 hospitals in the nation, only 3 percent are ranked in one or more of the 16 specialty areas recognized by the magazine.UCSD Medical Center is ranked one of the best in rheumatology, kidney disease, gynecology, cancer, endocrinology and urology. It is ranked fifth in the nation in respiratory diseases compared to last year’s seventh-place ranking.
The center has also moved up in ranking from last year in the fields of rheumatology, kidney disease and cancer.
In addition to its hospitals, UCSD also provides primary and specialty ambulatory care at outpatient centers in Hillcrest, La Jolla and Scripps Ranch, and ophthalmology services at the Shiley Eye Center in La Jolla.
The new Moores UCSD Cancer Center is the region’s only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, and planning is under way for the new Sulpizio Family Cardiovascular Center adjacent to the Thornton Hospital in La Jolla.
Scripps La Jolla was recognized as a top hospital for both cardiac care and the treatment of diabetes. This is the second time that the magazine has recognized Scripps as a national leader in cardiac care.
“This outstanding honor bestowed on Scripps La Jolla exemplifies the excellent care provided at our facility,” said Gary Fybel, chief executive of Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla, as part of an interview conducted via e-mail. “We owe this accolade to the incredible dedication and talents of our hospital staff and physicians.”
In addition to receiving national recognition for its cardiac program, the hospital is also home to The Whittier Institute for Diabetes, a subsidiary of Scripps Health, which was ranked 20th in the nation in endocrinology.
Fybel believes that the recognition by the magazine is partially due to the fact that Scripps La Jolla is also San Diego’s first and only Magnet Hospital, as designated by the American Nurses Association for quality patient care, one of the factors measured in the methodology established by the magazine.
“We hope that this ranking will help foster relationships with our patients and the donor community, especially as we embark on constructing a comprehensive cardiovascular institute as part of the $360 million first-phase replacement of Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla,” Fybel said. “The institute will include the cardiac programs of Scripps Clinic/Scripps Green Hospital and Scripps La Jolla.”
The institute will be a center for the most advanced diagnostic and treatment options for patients with cardiovascular diseases, as well as serve as a center for medical research, clinical trials and graduate medical education.While Scripps La Jolla is grateful for the recognition, its main goal remains the same.
“Our foremost goal is to strive to provide the highest level of care and service to our patients; if that results in national recognition, then that’s the frosting on the cake,” Fybel said.