By Amy Widner
The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as having the best hospital in the state, and its ear, nose and throat (ENT) department was ranked among the top 50 nationwide.
“Our health care professionals and support staff at UAMS are dedicated to providing the best possible care for Arkansas, and it shows,” said UAMS Chancellor Cam Patterson, M.D., MBA. “They continue to provide the best quality care, even in the challenging times presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. This is an acknowledgment of their hard work, and I give them my full congratulations.”
The UAMS ENT department was ranked 44th in the nation on the 2020-2021 list, which was released today.
“I am very proud that our department was, once again, ranked in the top 50 programs nationwide. We have a great team of faculty, fellows, residents and nurses in our department, who really set the bar for excellence,” said John L. Dornhoffer, M.D., who leads the ENT program and is chair of the Department of Otolaryngology — Head and Neck Surgery.
“Our program is unique in Arkansas and is on par with some of the best programs in the nation. We cover all the subspecialties in our field, and our faculty are fellowship-trained and respected for their expertise. They publish textbooks and dozens of peer-reviewed manuscripts each year and lecture internationally. Equally as important, they are consistently rated well on patient satisfaction surveys.”
Other UAMS services and procedures singled out as “high performing” include:
Regional Recognition
- COPD
- Colon cancer surgery
- Heart failure
- Hip replacement
- Knee replacement
- Lung cancer surgery
“Each of these programs is an asset to UAMS and the state,” said Stephen A. Mette, M.D., senior vice chancellor for UAMS Health clinical programs and UAMS Medical Center CEO. “Recognition like this is a reflection of the reputation these programs have been able to build among their peers in the health care industry, patients and the wider community. Behind each title lies a lot of hard work and dedication by individual teams that are working together to provide better health care for Arkansans.”
The Best Hospitals ranking indicates quality complex care for challenging health conditions and for common elective procedures. “High performing” ratings designate specialty care that is significantly better than the national average, as measured by factors such as patient outcomes, volume, quality of nursing and other care-related indicators. These rankings are designed to assist patients and their doctors in making informed decisions about where to receive care for common conditions and elective procedures.
For the 2020-21 rankings and ratings, U.S. News evaluated more than 4,500 medical centers nationwide in 26 specialties, 10 procedures and conditions. In the 16 specialty areas, 134 hospitals were ranked in at least one specialty. In rankings by state and metro area, U.S. News recognized best regional hospitals based on high performing rankings across multiple areas of care.
U.S. News & World Report is the global leader in quality rankings that empower people to make better, more informed decisions about important issues affecting their lives. A digital news and information company focused on education, health, money, travel, cars and civic, USNews.com provides consumer advice, rankings and analysis to serve people making complex decisions throughout all stages of life. Founded in 1933, U.S. News is headquartered in Washington, D.C.
UAMS is the state’s only health sciences university, with colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Professions and Public Health; a graduate school; hospital; a main campus in Little Rock; a Northwest Arkansas regional campus in Fayetteville; a statewide network of regional campuses; and seven institutes: the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute, Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute, Psychiatric Research Institute, Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, Translational Research Institute and Institute for Digital Health & Innovation. UAMS includes UAMS Health, a statewide health system that encompasses all of UAMS’ clinical enterprise including its hospital, regional clinics and clinics it operates or staffs in cooperation with other providers. UAMS is the only adult Level 1 trauma center in the state. U.S. News & World Report named UAMS Medical Center the state’s Best Hospital; ranked its ear, nose and throat program among the top 50 nationwide; and named six areas as high performing — cancer, colon cancer surgery, heart failure, hip replacement, knee replacement and lung cancer surgery. UAMS has 2,727 students, 870 medical residents and five dental residents. It is the state’s largest public employer with more than 10,000 employees, including 1,200 physicians who provide care to patients at UAMS, its regional campuses, Arkansas Children’s Hospital, the VA Medical Center and Baptist Health. Visit www.uams.edu or www.uamshealth.com. Find us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or Instagram.