Arkansas Children’s Achieves Most-Ever Rankings on U.S. News & World Report’s Best Children’s Hospitals List

LITTLE ROCK, AR. (June 14, 2022) – Arkansas Children’s made record advancements on U.S. News & World Report’s Best Children’s Hospitals list, celebrating the most service lines in which the state’s only pediatric health system has ever ranked. Seven Arkansas Children’s specialty services are among the best in the nation, according to the list, published online today.

In addition, Arkansas Children’s continues to be among the most decorated health systems in the state, ranked in the most specialty services across all U.S. News & World Report’s annual surveys.

The state’s only pediatric health system is proud to have the following programs ranked on the 2022/2023 Best Children’s Hospitals list:

• Cancer (42)
• Cardiology & Heart Surgery (44)
• Diabetes & Endocrinology (29)
• Nephrology (34)
• Neurology & Neurosurgery (48)
• Pulmonology & Lung Surgery (24)
• Urology (40)

“These record rankings validate the journey Arkansas Children’s is on as we strive to create a future where every Arkansas child can reach their full potential,” said Arkansas Children’s President & CEO Marcy Doderer, FACHE. “While U.S. News & World Report highlights seven of our outstanding service lines, the reality is that team members in every department contributed to these advancements in care. The entire Arkansas Children’s team is to be congratulated!”

The new rankings indicate Arkansas Children’s is committed to industry best practices, emphasizes safe care and delivers some of the nation’s best outcomes for kids. The expert opinions of pediatric specialists from across the nation factor heavily in the rankings, as do resources including technologies and treatments available.

The 16th annual Best Children’s Hospitals rankings recognize the top 50 pediatric facilities across the U.S. in 10 pediatric specialties: cancer, cardiology and heart surgery, diabetes and endocrinology, gastroenterology and gastrointestinal surgery, neonatology, nephrology, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopedics, pulmonology and lung surgery, and urology.

Arkansas Children’s also ranked 7th in regional rankings released by U.S. News & World Report today. Arkansas Children’s is ranked within the Southeast Region along with pediatric hospitals from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. A hospital’s regional ranking status is assessed by evaluating the total number of specialties the hospital was ranked in – better rankings are assigned to hospitals with more nationally ranked service lines.

U.S. News introduced the Best Children’s Hospitals rankings in 2007 to help families of children with rare or life-threatening illnesses find the best medical care available.

The 2022-2023 edition of Best Children’s Hospitals is posted online at usnews.com/childrenshospitals and will be published in the U.S. News & World Report's Best Hospitals 2023 guidebook, which will be available later this year.

ABOUT ARKANSAS CHILDREN’S

Arkansas Children's is the only healthcare system in the state solely dedicated to caring for Arkansas' more than 700,000 children. The private, non-profit organization includes two pediatric hospitals, a pediatric research institute and USDA nutrition center, a philanthropic foundation, a nursery alliance, statewide clinics, and many education and outreach programs — all focused on fulfilling a promise to define and deliver unprecedented child health. Arkansas Children’s is nationally ranked by U.S. News & World Report in seven pediatric subspecialties (2022—2023): Cancer, Cardiology & Heart Surgery, Diabetes & Endocrinology, Nephrology, Neurology & Neurosurgery, Pulmonology and Urology. Arkansas Children’s Hospital (ACH) is a 336-bed, Magnet-recognized facility in Little Rock operating the state’s only Level I pediatric trauma center; the state's only burn center; the state's only Level IV neonatal intensive care unit; the state's only pediatric intensive care unit; the state’s only pediatric surgery program with Level 1 verification from the American College of Surgeons (ACS); the state’s only magnetoencephalography (MEG) system for neurosurgical planning and cutting-edge research; and the state's only nationally recognized pediatric transport program. Arkansas Children’s Northwest (ACNW), the first and only pediatric hospital in the Northwest Arkansas region, is a level IV pediatric trauma center. ACNW operates a 24-bed inpatient unit; a surgical unit with five operating rooms; outpatient clinics offering over 20 subspecialties; diagnostic services; imaging capabilities; occupational therapy services; and Northwest Arkansas' only pediatric emergency department, equipped with 30 exam rooms. Generous philanthropic and volunteer engagement has sustained Arkansas Children's since it began as an orphanage in 1912, and today ensures the system can deliver on its promise of unprecedented child health. To learn more, visit archildrens.org.