For the ninth consecutive year, the hospitals of Keck Medicine of USC have been named among the best in the country by U.S. News & World Report, a distinction only 3 percent of the analyzed hospitals receive. The magazine’s annual “Best Hospitals” rankings recognize hospitals in the United States that provide the best overall patient care as well as specialized treatment in areas like urology and orthopaedics.

Keck Medical Center of USC, which consists of Keck Hospital of USC and USC Norris Cancer Hospital, was ranked among the Best Hospitals in both metro Los Angeles (No. 5) and California (No. 10). The medical center has been highly ranked since it was purchased by the university in 2009.

Keck Hospital of USC (Photo/Ricardo Carrasco III)

“Keck Medicine of USC is delighted to maintain our rankings among the best hospitals locally, regionally and nationally,” said Thomas E. Jackiewicz, MPH, senior vice president and CEO of Keck Medicine of USC. “Every member of our medical and support staff strives to provide world-class patient care each day, and we are honored to be recognized for these efforts.”

The medical center also performed well in a number of specialty rankings, securing a Top 50 placement in five specialties. The USC Roski Eye Institute remained the institution’s top performing service line for the 24th consecutive year (No. 11). The USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center received its highest-ever ranking (No. 15). Keck Medical Center was again ranked among the Top 25 for Orthopedics (No. 24) and the Top 50 for Geriatrics (No. 27) and Urology (No. 29).

“We see firsthand that patient care is strengthened by the cutting-edge research of our renowned physician-scientists at Keck, who are focused on continually improving the lives of others,” said Rohit Varma, MD, MP, dean of the Keck School of Medicine.

For the 2017-18 rankings, U.S. News evaluated more than 4,500 medical centers nationwide in 25 specialties, procedures and conditions. In the 16 specialty areas, only 146 hospitals (just over 3 percent) were ranked in at least one specialty. In rankings by state and metro area, U.S. News recognized hospitals as high performing across multiple areas of care. The methodologies include risk-adjusted survival and readmission rates, volume, patient experience, patient safety, quality of nursing care and other care-related indicators. Best Hospital rankings are produced by U.S. News with RTI International, a top research firm based in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.

The rankings are available at http://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals and will appear in the U.S. News Best Hospitals 2018 guidebook, available on newsstands in late August.

— Mary Dacuma