VCU news

By Sathya Achia Abraham and Frances Dumenci

The Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center has been ranked the No. 1 hospital in the Richmond metro area by U.S.News and World Report’s first-ever Best Hospitals metro area rankings.

“We are exceptionally pleased to be ranked No. 1 in Richmond,” said Sheldon Retchin, M.D., CEO of the VCU Health System and vice president of VCU Health Sciences. “Our regional and national rankings are a strong testament to our commitment to a culture of innovation and cutting edge health care. These qualities, together with the remarkably talented people who work here, contribute to an outstanding health care system that makes me proud every day.”

U.S.News created Best Hospitals more than 20 years ago to identify hospitals exceptionally skilled in handling the most difficult cases. To be ranked in its metro area, a hospital had to score in the top 25 percent among its peers in at least one of 16 medical specialties.

VCU Medical Center topped the ranking in Richmond with four programs that are nationally ranked by U.S.News. It is the only hospital in Richmond to be ranked by U.S. News. Specifically, the medical center was noted for excellence in cancer treatment, heart and heart surgery programs, its kidney disease program and physical rehabilitation. The medical center also had nine high performing specialties, more than any other hospital in the metro area.

“VCU Medical Center provides patients from the Richmond region and beyond the most advanced health care possible,” said John Duval, CEO of MCV Hospitals. “Our health care team is dedicated to providing the latest treatments and technologies to the communities we serve. Quality and safety drives our vision, and we’re proud to be recognized as the number one ranked hospital in Richmond.”

The new rankings recognized 622 hospitals in or near major cities with a record of high performance in key medical specialties. U.S.News ranked hospitals within all 52 U.S. metro areas with populations of 1 million or more, using existing data from 2010-11 Best Hospitals.

“All of these hospitals provide first-rate care for the majority of patient, even those with serious conditions or who need demanding procedures,” said Health Rankings Editor Avery Comarow. “The new Best Hospitals metro rankings can tell you which hospitals are worth considering for most medical problems if you live in or near a major metro area.”

For more information about the metro rankings is available online at www.usnews.com/hospitals.