UW Health: American Family Children’s Hospital ranks among best hospitals

CONTACT: Toni Morrissey
(608) 263-3223
tmorrissey@uwhealth.org

     MADISON, WI – UW Health’s American Family Children’s Hospital ranked in the top 50 children’s hospitals in six medical and surgical specialties in this year’s U.S. News and World Report Best Children’s Hospital rankings.

     The children’s hospital was named in the top 50 for:

  • Cancer (39)
  • Cardiology and heart surgery (46)
  • Gastroenterology and GI surgery (41)
  • Nephrology (44)
  • Pulmonology (40)
  • Urology (45)

     Data were collected from 189 pediatric hospitals across the United States.  The categories measured were clinical outcomes, level and quality of hospital resources, technology and special services, delivery of health care, staffing and expert opinion among pediatric specialists.  Only 86 of the 189 hospitals surveyed were ranked in the top 50 in at least one of the 10 specialties. The children’s hospital continues to be the smallest children’s hospital ranking this high in multiple subspecialties.

      Pediatric cancer care has ranked among the best for many years at American Family Children’s Hospital.  The team has had noticeable accomplishments. They include Stand Up 2 Cancer designating our pediatric hematology/oncology work a “Dream Team” of researchers.  The children’s hospital this year began offering Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell treatment (CAR-T) for children with refractory acute lymphocytic leukemia.  The children’s hospital is among a handful of institutions in the U.S. that are offering this specific treatment.    

       “It is always an honor to be ranked by U.S. News and World Report” said Dr. Alan Kaplan, CEO UW Health.  “These rankings are an acknowledgement of the excellent care provided to children by the physicians and staff of American Family Children’s Hospital.” 

      American Family Children’s Hospital is a 111-bed facility with 80 specialty clinics and nearly 300 physicians and surgeons.  The hospital includes a 26-bed, Level IV neonatal intensive care unit, a 21-bed pediatric intensive care unit, a dedicated pediatric imaging suite that provides ultra-low dose imaging, a state-of-the-art hybrid catheterization/angiography suite and a neonatal and pediatric critical care transport program. A new Epilepsy Monitoring Unit opened in 2017 with enhanced medical and surgical treatment of epilepsy patients. Growing programs include the care of patients with complex spine concerns and of children with sports-related injury.