The University of Chicago Medical Center's cancer and ear, nose and throat (ENT) programs are now ranked the best in Illinois, according to a recent U.S. News & World Report survey of nearly 5,000 hospitals nationwide.
The University of Chicago Medical Center has 10 specialties rated among the best in the nation. Cancer rose four places, while otolaryngology, neurology and neurosurgery, and urology all saw double-digit gains. Six other specialties also rose in the rankings.
Cancer, 12 (16 last year) Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery, 32 (38) Diabetes and Endocrinology, 30 (23) Otorhinolaryngology, 11 (32) Gastroenterology and Gastrointestinal Surgery, 25 (22) Geriatrics, 40 (43) Neurology and Neurosurgery, 36 (47) Obstetrics and Gynecology, 25 (28) Pulmonology and Pulmonary Surgery, 35 (30) Urology, 36 (49)
The ranking positions UCMC, the flagship hospital of the University of Chicago Medicine Health System, as one of only 25 hospitals nationwide with at least 10 specialties on U.S. News' 2024-25 Best Hospitals list.
“While it's impossible to condense all the great work taking place across the University of Chicago School of Medicine and Biological Sciences into one list, we are pleased that the advancements in the care we provide and our team's relentless striving for higher standards have led to improved rankings,” said Mark Anderson, M.D., executive vice chancellor for medical affairs. “Our commitment to innovation and excellence in patient care continues to drive us forward, and we are incredibly grateful to everyone at our organization for their dedication to the mission of academic medicine.”
In addition to the specialty rankings, U.S. News introduced a new category recognizing “success in caring for patients while maintaining high quality care in historically underserved areas.” University of Chicago Medical Center was recognized as a community hospital that provides equitable access. Of the 98 hospitals listed nationwide, University of Chicago Medical Center is one of only four in Illinois and the only academic medical center in Chicagoland to receive this honor.
“We are honored to be one of only four medical institutions in Illinois to receive the U.S. News Health Equity Award and the only academic medical center in the Chicago area,” said Tom Jakiewicz, chancellor of the University of Chicago Health System. “This recognition underscores our unwavering commitment to providing equitable access to quality health care on the South Side and ensuring health equity in all the communities we serve.”
U.S. News also annually evaluates hospitals' performance for common adult procedures and conditions. The University of Chicago Medical Center received high marks in 16 areas, including:
Aortic valve surgery Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) Colon cancer surgery Diabetes Gynecological cancer surgery Heart attack Heart bypass surgery Heart failure Hip fracture Kidney failure Leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma Lung cancer surgery Pneumonia Prostate cancer surgery Stroke Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR)
To see the complete rankings of all hospitals surveyed, visit U.S. News' Best Hospitals page.
The ranking comes on the heels of the University of Chicago Medical Center receiving an “A” Hospital Safety Rating from the Leapfrog Group for the 25th consecutive year and receiving its eighth recognition as an LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation.
The medical center's U.S. News status reinforces the center's leadership in cancer, as the South Side-based health system builds a 575,000-square-foot freestanding cancer treatment and research facility scheduled to open in 2027. University of Chicago Medicine has been a National Cancer Institute (NCI) designated since 1974 and has been an NCI Comprehensive Cancer Center, the gold standard for cancer programs, since 2008. It is one of only two organizations in Illinois to hold NCI “comprehensive” designation and is one of approximately 30 institutions nationwide selected as a lead academic participant in NCI's National Clinical Trials Network.
