Arkansas Children’s Celebrates Team Success as 7 Service Lines Rank on U.S. News & World Report’s Best Children’s Hospitals List

June 21, 2023

U.S. News & World Report logo LITTLE ROCK, AR. (June 21, 2023) – Arkansas Children’s continues its annual streak on U.S. News & World Report’s Best Children’s Hospitals list, celebrating national rankings for seven of its service lines – the most ever featured – for the second year in a row.

Teams across the entire health system contributed to the successes required to maintain and advance the service line rankings on the publication’s annual list, which demonstrates rigorous attention to quality outcomes.

The seven ranking specialty services are among the best in the nation, according to the list, published online today. The new rankings underscore Arkansas Children’s commitment to industry best practices, emphasis on safe care and delivering some of the nation’s best outcomes for children – all while serving more children than ever and preparing for its most ambitious clinical expansion.

The state’s only pediatric health system is proud to have the following programs ranked on the 2023/2024 Best Children’s Hospitals list:

Cancer (40, highest-ever ranking)
Cardiology & Heart Surgery (45)
Diabetes & Endocrinology (44)
Nephrology (34)
Orthopedics (45, first time ranked)
Pulmonology & Lung Surgery (31)
Urology (39)

The national rankings reflect contributions from nearly every department in the Arkansas Children’s system, as teams focus on delivering better access, exceptional outcomes and improved on-campus experiences.

“Three years ago, we embarked on a strategic plan to bring Arkansas children the best outcomes in the country, and we are demonstrating remarkable excellence and progress in this work,” said Arkansas Children’s President & CEO Marcy Doderer, FACHE. “As we continue to serve more children, in more ways, these U.S. News & World Report rankings reflect how the entire team consistently strives for excellence every day with every child.”

The expert opinions of pediatric specialists from across the nation factor heavily in the rankings, as do resources including technologies and treatments available.

The 17th 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 2023-2024 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 2024 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 (2023—2024): Cancer, Cardiology & Heart Surgery, Diabetes & Endocrinology, Nephrology, Orthopedics, 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.

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