US News & World Report ranks Kentucky Children’s Hospital in pediatric cardiology, behavioral health (2024)

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Oct. 8, 2024) Kentucky Children’s Hospital (KCH) has been recognized as a 2024-25 Best Children’s Hospital by U.S. News & World Report. The rankings assist parents and caregivers, along with their physicians, in navigating the challenges of choosing the best possible care for children with serious illnesses or complex medical needs. KCH was ranked nationally in two areas of specialized care: pediatric cardiology and heart surgery, and pediatric and adolescent behavioral health.

Healthy children grow up to be healthy adults, shaping a brighter future for the Commonwealth of Kentucky,” said Scottie B. Day, M.D., physician-in-chief for KCH. “Our behavioral health program encompasses every aspect of care, representingnot just one program, but a wrap around to further amplify that mental health is total health. Our pediatric cardiology program has been consistently ranked as one of the best in the nation. To have these programs recognizedreflects the relentless efforts of those teams to go above and beyond for their patients. Thanks to their dedication, children across Kentucky have access to world-class health care close to home.”

The Joint Pediatric and Congenital Heart Program, a collaboration between KCH and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, is ranked fifth in the country in pediatric cardiology & heart surgery. This ranking also includes patients treated through the adult congenital heart program, a collaboration with UK HealthCare’s Gill Heart and Vascular Institute for adult patients who were born with congenital heart defects.

We are honored to be ranked in the top five in the nation for children’s heart care programs,” said Carl L. Backer, M.D., director of the KCH section of the Joint Pediatric Heart Care Program. “Our work with Cincinnati Children’s ensures that every child in Kentucky has access to the latest technology and treatment options; we are proud to offer top-tier heart care right here, so children and families don’t have to travel far to receive the best care in the country.”

KCH also ranks among the top 50 programs in the country for pediatric and adolescent behavioral health,which includes four different sub specialties: adolescent medicine, developmental pediatrics, pediatricpsychology andcChild psychiatry. These specialties provide a collaborative, interdisciplinary, integrated team based care to meet unique behavioral health needs of children and adolescents. In addition to outpatient specialized pharmacotherapy and behavioral treatment options tailored to the unique needs of each patient, thePsychiatry and Behavioral Health Programincludes a17-bed inpatient program that offers a personal, structured environment for adolescents with mental illness or behavioral health problems. Through our outreach collaboration with central Kentucky schools as well as expansion of ambulatory services for integrated mental health, we are committed to early screening and intervention through development of clinical programs and education.

In the face of a growing public health crisis, we have worked tirelessly to expand our pediatric behavioral health services,” said Amy Lynn Meadows, M.D., director of the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. “The need to provide critical mental health care for children is more urgent than ever. Many conditions don’t have telltale physical signs, yet they impact the lives of children and families deeply. KCH strives every day to answer the call and ensure every child gets the complete care they need.”

U.S. News, together with RTI International, a North Carolina-based research and consulting firm, collected and analyzed data from 108 children’s hospitals and surveyed thousands of pediatric specialists. Children’s hospitals awarded a “Best” designation excelled at factors such as clinical outcomes, level and quality of hospital resources directly related to patient care and expert opinion among pediatric specialists.

“U.S. News & World Report’s annual Best Children’s Hospitals evaluation empowers parents and caregivers with a data-driven guide to help them find the best pediatric hospital to treat their child,” said Ben Harder, chief of health analysis and managing editor at U.S. News.

The full rankings for the 2024-2025 Best Children’s Hospitals Honor Roll, regional and specialty rankings can be found at USNews.com. For more information, explore #BestChildrensHospitals on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X.

UK HealthCare is the hospitals and clinics of the University of Kentucky. But it is so much more. It is more than 10,000 dedicated health care professionals committed to providing advanced subspecialty care for the most critically injured and ill patients from the Commonwealth and beyond. It also is the home of the state’s only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, a Level IV Neonatal Intensive Care Unit that cares for the tiniest and sickest newborns, the region’s only Level 1 trauma center and Kentucky’s top hospital ranked by U.S. News & World Report.

As an academic research institution, we are continuously pursuing the next generation of cures, treatments, protocols and policies. Our discoveries have the potential to change what’s medically possible within our lifetimes. Our educators and thought leaders are transforming the health care landscape as our six health professions colleges teach the next generationof doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other health care professionals, spreading the highest standards of care. UK HealthCare is the power of advanced medicine committed to creating a healthier Kentucky, now and for generations to come.

US News & World Report ranks Kentucky Children’s Hospital in pediatric cardiology, behavioral health (2024)
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