Newswise — PHILADELPHIA – July 16, 2013 – Thomas Jefferson University Hospital has been named to U.S. News & World Report’s most exclusive and influential list: Best Hospitals 2013-14 Honor Roll. Jefferson’s first-ever honor roll ranking at number 17, places it among an elite group of the nation’s top hospitals, chosen for the breadth and depth of clinical excellence.

Jefferson’s Honor Roll placement propels it into an exclusive group of only eighteen of the nation’s top hospitals, selected for clinical excellence and the depth and breadth of their patient care.

“This is an extraordinary honor,” said David P. McQuaid, FACHE, President, Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals, Inc. “It is a reflection of the hard work put forth by everyone in the Jefferson community.”

For the second time, Jefferson Orthopedics ranks in the top ten nationally, coming in at number seven for the second year in a row.

U.S. News & World Report, which compiles and publishes the defining surveys in healthcare, also placed Jefferson among the best in the nation in twelve specialty areas; Pulmonology (14th), Rehabilitation Medicine (16th), Cancer (17th), Diabetes and Endocrinology (18th), Otolaryngology/ear, nose and throat (19th), Urology (20th), Gastroenterology (21st), Gynecology (28th), Geriatrics (31st), Neurology and Neurosurgery (32nd), and Nephrology (42nd). Jefferson scored high marks in Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery, as well, earning a position in the high-performing category.

In announcing the U.S. News results, McQuaid said, “To be singled-out for exemplary patient care across twelve diverse and unique disciplines speaks of our commitment to leading-edge research and reflects the dedication of an exceptionally talented team of physicians, nurses and professional staff.”

He continued, “In today’s challenging healthcare environment, patients have options regarding their care and where they receive it. As a national healthcare leader, Jefferson will continue to be a hospital of choice, employing advanced treatments to deliver the best possible outcomes.”

Since its establishment in 1825, Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals, an academic medical center, has provided nationally recognized care intended to improve the health of all the communities it serves. Jefferson accomplishes its mission in partnership with Thomas Jefferson University and as a member of the Jefferson Health System.

The rankings have been published at http://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals and will appear in print in the U.S. News Best Hospitals 2014 guidebook, available in bookstores and on newsstands August 27.# # #

Thomas Jefferson University HospitalsThomas Jefferson University Hospitals (TJUH) are dedicated to excellence in patient care, patient safety and the quality of the healthcare experience. Consistently ranked by U.S. News & World Report among the nation's top hospitals, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, established in 1825, has over 900 licensed acute care beds with major programs in a wide range of clinical specialties. TJUH is one of the few hospitals in the U.S. that is both a Level 1 Trauma Center and a federally-designated regional spinal cord injury center. TJUH patient care facilities include Jefferson Hospital for Neuroscience, the region’s only dedicated hospital for neuroscience, Methodist Hospital in South Philadelphia, and additional patient care facilities throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey. TJUH partners with its education affiliate, Thomas Jefferson University.