Johns Hopkins and Mayo Clinic top new list of best U.S. hospitals

U.S. News & World Report released its list of the nation's best hospitals yesterday. Johns Hopkins, the Mayo Clinic and UCLA Medical Center topped the list. Johns Hopkins received the highest ratings for rheumatology, urology and ear, nose and throat specialties. The Cleveland Clinic, Massachusetts General, New York Presbyterian, the University of California/Sn Francisco Medical Center and the Hospital of the University of Pennsyvania also received high marks, while Barnes Jewish Hospital/Washington University and a tie between Brigham and Women's Hospital/Boston and Duke University Medical Center rounded out the top ten. U.S. News said it ranked hospitals in 16 specialties, from cancer and heart disease to respiratory disorders and urology. A total of 4,861 hospitals were examined for this 20th annual survey. According to the publication, only 174 hospitals scored high enough to be ranked in even one of the 16 specialties. Just21 qualified for th U.S. News Honor Roll by ranking at or near the top in at least six specialties.