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Share2007's 10 Best Children's Hospitals
The exclusive results of CHILD's detailed, data-driven rankings of the top pediatric institutions in the country.
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Shari DeCarlo was four hours into labor in a hospital in suburban Cleveland when her nurse noticed the baby's heart rate wasn't responding normally to contractions. "The pregnancy showed absolutely no signs of trouble and the baby wasn't early -- Shari's due date had actually passed by two days," says her husband, Michael Kerkel. But soon it became clear that something was very wrong -- and that the hospital, which didn't have a neonatal intensive care unit, wasn't equipped to care for the couple's child.
DeCarlo had an emergency C-section and her doctors suggested that the 6 lb., 11 oz. baby girl -- whom Kerkel says was "bright blue" at one point -- be transferred to Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital, one of two pediatric facilities in the city. "She was so sick that they asked my wife and me, 'If we were to lose her on the way to Rainbow, would you want us to resuscitate her?'"
Day after day, in children's hospitals across the country, parents face life-and-death decisions, choices they have to make knowing little about the hospital itself. Enter the Child magazine survey -- the only data-driven comparison of the nation's children's hospitals, providing parents with crucial medical information that isn't available anywhere else.
Our comprehensive 247-question survey, guided by leading pediatric experts (listed on page 12 of this article), examines vital medical information including survival rates, the number of complex procedures and intricate surgeries conducted, volume of research studies, efforts to reduce medical errors, and the quality and training of the doctors and nurses -- as well as child-friendliness, support for families, and community involvement. It was sent to the 116 full members of the National Association of Children's Hospitals and Related Institutions last August. Seventy-six hospitals completed the survey. The responses were graded to determine the best hospitals overall and the leaders in six pediatric subspecialty areas. Among the trends we discovered when analyzing the surveys: More hospitals are using new technology to reduce medical mistakes. There's also increased emphasis on keeping healthy kids well through community services like free vaccines, car seat checks, and violence-prevention efforts.
As for DeCarlo and Kerkel, their daughter survived the ride to Rainbow -- and spent seven weeks in the hospital getting well. "We were thrust into a world we never knew existed," says DeCarlo.
You don't have to be. Much of being a good parent involves being informed. Chances are your local hospitals deliver good care, but should your child have a critical or chronic condition, it's crucial to know where the most advanced work is being done, where you might want to go for a second opinion, and what questions you need to ask. Read on for details about the winning hospitals, including a personal story about each one.
