MedCentralUS News Names Top Hospitals: Physicians React

US News Best Hospitals List 2024-2025: Methodology Changes Emphasize Patient Outcomes and Primary Care Impact

The US News & World Report‘s 2024-2025 Best Hospitals rankings introduce significant methodological changes, expanding data sources and emphasizing patient outcomes. These modifications highlight the crucial role of primary care physicians in post-hospital care and readmission prevention. The updated list includes new entries and reflects a broader perspective on hospital performance across various specialties and procedures.

Key Points:

• Duke University Hospital joins the Best Hospital Honor Roll, which is now listed alphabetically rather than ranked.
• 466 hospitals across 48 states are ranked as Best Regional Hospitals.
• Only 160 out of 4,500+ evaluated hospitals earned a Best Hospitals ranking.
• Patient outcomes now account for 45% of a hospital’s rank, up from 37.5% in 2022.
• Medicare Advantage plan patient data is included for the first time, doubling the number of patient records analyzed.
• 30-day patient survival is the major outcomes measure in data-driven rankings.
• Post-hospital rehabilitation rankings focus on preventing readmissions, emphasizing primary care activity.
• Family physicians play a key role in monitoring patients post-discharge and preventing complications.
• Rural hospitals continue to face challenges, with 36 closures since 2020 and nearly 150 since 2010.
• A separate report on Best Regional Hospitals for Equitable Access identified 98 hospitals in 26 states serving vulnerable populations.
• Intrahospital transfers are no longer included in risk-adjusted outcomes scores.
• A new Gynecological Cancer Surgery Rating combines former Ovarian and Uterine Cancer Surgery ratings.
• Observation stays are now included in the rankings methodology.

“Family physicians play a key role in monitoring patients after they’ve been released from the hospital. Because of our long relationships with our patients, we’re well-equipped to provide ongoing care and screening for any post-hospital complications or changes in health care needs.”
– Tochi Iroku-Malize, MD, MPH, MBA; Board Chair of the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP)

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