St. Francis Hospital prominent in 2017 ‘Best Hospitals’ rankings

For the fifth consecutive year, St. Francis Hospital garnered the highest rating among Long Island facilities for best hospital in the region and also added to its streak of high performance nationally in cardiac care, according to U.S. News & World Report’s annual hospital rankings.

“We are just so darn proud,” said Ruth E. Hennessey, executive vice president and chief administrative officer at St. Francis, based in Flower Hill. “It’s a wonderful recognition, and it is really important in our marketplace because it reinforces our relationship with patients and the relationship that our staff has with patients.”

This is the 28th year that the magazine has ranked health care facilities across the country, producing a list of top hospitals nationally, as well as state-by-state regional and New York metropolitan ratings. The magazine also judges hospitals in 25 specialties, procedures and medical conditions. The survey includes nearly 5,000 hospitals nationwide.

For the 11th straight year, St. Francis was recognized by U.S. News as one of the top 50 hospitals nationally for cardiology and heart surgery. The facility also was rated among the best nationally for gastroenterology and gastrointestinal surgery.

U.S. News & World Report’s annual survey is one of many consumer-oriented hospital rankings. Facilities frequently use the information in advertising and promotional materials.

The state Department of Health rates hospitals and doctors periodically on cardiac care, including coronary artery bypass surgery and angioplasty. The state also rates hospitals on infection control practices.

In the magazine’s national rankings, the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, garnered the top spot as the best hospital in the country for the second year in a row, leading the so-called “Honor Roll” of the top 20 centers.

SEE PHOTOS8 LI hospitals among top U.S. News rankings in New York

Hospitals in Manhattan that are affiliated with or have ties to Long Island hospitals also are on this year’s honor roll.

Mount Sinai Hospital, which is in merger talks with South Nassau Communities Hospital in Oceanside, is ranked No. 18 on the honor roll, and NYU Langone Medical Center, with which NYU Winthrop Hospital in Mineola is affiliated, is No. 19.

Several Long Island facilities were rated on the statewide list of best regional hospitals. St. Francis is No. 5; NYU Winthrop ranked No. 6, North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset and Stony Brook University Hospital tied for the No. 13 spot and Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New Hyde Park is No. 16.

Additionally, Huntington Hospital is ranked No. 17 in the state, South Nassau Communities Hospital is tied with two other facilities at No. 18, and John T. Mather Memorial Hospital in Port Jefferson is No. 21.

Rankings for the Island’s health care facilities shifted somewhat on the list of best regional hospitals for the metro area, which U.S. News defines as including New York City and portions of New Jersey.

On the metro New York list, St. Francis is No. 6, followed by NYU Winthrop at No. 7, North Shore University Hospital and Stony Brook University Hospital are tied for the No. 12 spot, and Long Island Jewish Medical Center is No. 15.

Huntington Hospital is ranked No. 16 on the metro New York list, South Nassau Communities Hospital is tied with five other facilities at the No. 17 spot, and John T. Mather Memorial Hospital in Port Jefferson is No. 25.

“We are pleased that the U.S. News rankings recognized three areas of treatment at South Nassau — colon cancer surgery, heart failure [care] and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [therapy] as high-performing,” said Joe Calderone, spokesman for South Nassau Communities Hospital.

The Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan, which has a large satellite division in Uniondale, was ranked No. 1 for orthopedics on the magazine’s list of nationally recognized centers and No. 3 in rheumatology.