Best Hospitals 2007
The Best Hospitals
An exclusive survey of more than 1,000 leading doctors yields 43 sources of top medical care
RESOURCES
National Cancer Institute, (800) 422-6237. Provides lists of major cancer treatment centers and helps locate clinical trials. American Cancer Society, (800) 227-2345. Provides basic information on various kinds of cancer. Refers to local ACS offices and support groups. Offers access to databases that assess treatment success rates.
CARDIOLOGY MAYO CLINIC ROCHESTER, MINN. / 38 pct.
CLEVELAND CLINIC / 36 pct.
TEXAS HEART INSTITUTE (ST. LUKE'S EPISCOPAL HOSPITAL) HOUSTON / 21 pct.
STANFORD UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL STANFORD, CALIF. / 20 pct.
MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL BOSTON / 19 pct.
EMORY UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL ATLANTA / 16 pct.
JOHNS HOPKINS HOSPITAL BALTIMORE / 14 pct.
All cardiology departments treat a wide range of heart and circulatory problems, from angina pectoris, or chest pain, to clogged coronary arteries. But cardiologists in larger medical centers have special expertise in treating unusual or especially complicated cases--for example, those involving congenital heart disease, valve problems and serious rhythm disorders.
EXPERT'S VIEW
HUGH SMITH, chief of cardiology, Mayo Clinic: There has to be an underlying philosophy and commitment that patient care comes first. We have rejected appointments to absolutely brilliant doctors because they are either arrogant or do not provide what I would call empathetic care. We also use a holistic approach in which one primary care giver directs the patient's team of specialists. That sets up a group dynamic that makes people strive to be as good as or perhaps better than their fellow team members. You can call it a form of peer pressure. We are also geared up at Mayo to do long-term analysis on patient-benefit outcome, cost-effectiveness of treatments and continuous quality management. That lets us identify the best therapy or a treatment that was unnecessarily costly. And we are salaried. This takes the marketplace out of how we treat the patient and permits us to do our very best.
RESOURCES
American Heart Association. Local offices provide information and referrals. National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, (301) 496-4236. Informational pamphlets from the federal government. Self-help. Mended Hearts, (214) 706-1442, membership $15 individual; $22 family. Coronary Club, (216) 444-3690, newsletter $20 a year.
ENDOCRINOLOGY MAYO CLINIC ROCHESTER, MINN. / 63 pct.
MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL BOSTON / 62 pct.
CLINICAL CENTER, NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH BETHESDA, MD. / 32 pct.
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO MEDICAL CENTER / 26 pct.
JOHNS HOPKINS HOSPITAL BALTIMORE / 24 pct.
BARNES HOSPITAL ST. LOUIS / 20 pct.
Endocrinologists treat diseases marked by over- or underproduction of the hormones that regulate such functions as growth, digestion and reproduction. Commonplace disorders include diabetes, osteoporosis and menstrual irregularities; rare conditions include hormone-producing tumors. The specialty relies on blood tests and extensive knowledge of the endocrine glands.
EXPERT'S VIEW
HENRY KRONENBERG, head of the endocrinology unit at Massachusetts General Hospital: A top-notch endocrine division is busy, since seeing a lot of patients is an important part of keeping up. Except for those times when surgery is needed, we see most of our patients as outpatients. When patients come from all over, it tells you that the center has experience with rare conditions and has a good reputation with referring doctors. An active training program for young doctors tells you that the faculty has been approved as teachers by the American Board of Internal Medicine. In endocrinology, there are almost no procedures. Much more crucial than the ability to do a tricky procedure is the knowledge of what sort of tests ought to be done and what treatment is called for. And when surgery is needed, only big academic or clinical centers offer access to surgeons who specialize in endocrine surgery.
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