Hospitals in today's society have become much more than just a facility where people go to have surgery or have a baby. They have become a symbol of what needs to change to make US health care more sustainable for future generations.
The following hospitals represent the best of strong credentials, rich history, and a growing focus on how to better care for patients, all while promoting the highest form of employee satisfaction and work-life balance.
10. Yale-New Haven Hospital (New Haven, Connecticut)
As the first hospital in Connecticut, Yale-New Haven has played an important role in medical history. The hospital is ranked as the number one hospital in Connecticut US News & World Reporthas been designated by Magnet for nursing excellence and is connected to more than 4,800 physicians.
Center of attention: Recently, Yale-New Haven and Yale University formed a transatlantic healthcare and research alliance with University College London. The trio has launched research in cardiovascular disease, hepatology and nephrology, among other areas.
9. Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center (Lebanon, New Hampshire)
With more than 120 years of history, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center is New Hampshire's only academic medical center. DHMC is magnet-recognized for nursing excellence and US News & World Report ranked it as the top hospital in the state in 2013-14.
Center of attention: As a hospital, DHMC strives for excellence at the individual level, but also for the greater good. It is constantly looking for partners and stakeholders interested in advancing the quality of care while reducing costs for patients.
8. Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center (Richmond, Virginia)
Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center has a rich place in American history, having been affiliated with the South's only graduate medical school during the Civil War. Today, the five-hospital, 865-bed medical center is Magnet-designed for nursing excellence and includes the region's only Level I trauma center.
Center of attention: VCU Medical Center is also one of only three civilian institutions in the country participating in a military program to train special operations combat medics, who provide care to wounded military members for extended periods of time.
7. Hackensack University Medical Center (Hackensack, New Jersey)
US News & World Report ranked Hackensack University Medical Center as the number three hospital in the New York metro area and the top hospital in New Jersey for 2013-14. Ranked nationally by US News in nine specialties: cancer; cardiology and cardiac surgery; Otorhinolaryngology; gastroenterology and gastroenterology services; geriatrics; neurology and neurosurgery, orthopedics, pulmonology and urology.
Center of attention: Hackensack UMC has close ties to its local sports teams, being the hometown hospital for the New York Giants and New York Red Bulls football teams. Furthering its connection with the New York Giants, Hackensack UMC opened Fitness & Wellness: Powered by the NY Giants, a wellness center in Maywood, New Jersey, in late 2013.
6. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (New York, NY)
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center is one of 41 comprehensive cancer centers designated by the National Cancer Institute, and its physicians treat more than 400 different subtypes of cancer each year. From 1980 to 2012, the Food and Drug Administration approved 10 drugs developed in the cancer center's laboratory, the most of any cancer center in the country.
Center of attention: Memorial Sloan Kettering partners with several local universities, including The Rockefeller University, Cornell University, and Weill Cornell Medical College, offering PhD and MD/PhD programs. The hospital is a benchmark for preventive care in New York, providing thousands of cancer screenings each year.
5. Lehigh Valley Hospital (Alledtown, PA)
Lehigh Valley Hospital is nationally ranked in 10 adult specialties, with high performance in two specialties (cancer and nephrology). The 793-bed hospital offers a wide range of services from cardiac surgery to sports medicine.
Center of attention: Lehigh Valley Hospital is a three-time certified National Magnet Hospital for Nursing Excellence by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. As a teaching hospital, Lehigh is affiliated with the University of South Florida College of Medicine where medical students receive hands-on training.
4. Geisinger Medical Center (Danville, PA)
Geisinger Medical Center has grown from its original 70 beds to the nation's largest rural health services organization. Today, the Level I trauma center has received Magnet designation for nursing excellence, been named a “Most Wired” hospital, and has been named one of the safest hospitals in the nation by the Leapfrog Group.
Center of attention: Geisinger Medical Center is one of the training campuses for Geisinger Health Center's new neurosurgery residency program, which began in 2013. The program is one of only five neurosurgery programs added in the past five years in the United States.
3. Christiana Care Health System (Newark, Delaware)
Dating back to 1890, Christiana Care Health System is an award-winning hospital, earning a number of accolades in general surgery, orthopedic surgery, spine surgery, pulmonary care and overall clinical excellence. The hospital currently performs in the top 5 percent of hospitals nationally.
Center of attention: In 2012, Christiana Care Learning Institute was named to Training Magazine's list of the top 125 training organizations in the country, and in 2013, The Learning Institute moved up the list, all the way to the top 25. The Training Top 125 award recognizes excellence in training programs and employer-sponsored development and maximizing human capital.
2. Mount Sinai Hospital (New York, NY)
Founded in 1852, Mount Sinai has grown to house 1,171 beds and employ 2,500 physicians. The hospital is one of the largest in the nation and has been designated by Magnet for nursing excellence. Mount Sinai is home to a number of medical breakthroughs, including the country's first successful mastoidectomy in 1892 and establishing the concept of group O blood as the universal donor in 1908.
Center of attention: Mount Sinai Hospital offers mentoring and networking opportunities through groups such as Mount Sinai Rising Professionals and the Diversity Council.
1. The Johns Hopkins Hospital (Baltimore, Maryland)
Johns Hopkins Hospital was founded in 1889 and has since become known as the birthplace of many standards in medicine, including the use of latex surgical gloves. Ranked as the number one hospital in the country for 2013-14 by US News & World Report, Johns Hopkins ranks first for five specialties: ear, nose and throat. geriatrics; neurology and neurosurgery; rheumatology and urology.
Center of attention: Last year, the Baltimore-based hospital launched an innovative public-private partnership that trains public assistance individuals to obtain full- and part-time positions at the hospital. Johns Hopkins shows how hospitals can improve health and well-being not only through clinical care but also through employment opportunities.
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