VCU Medical Center named best hospital in the city

Sterling Giles
Contributing Writer

The 2014 U.S. News & World Report has ranked the VCU Medical Center as the best hospital in the Richmond area.

This marks the fourth consecutive year that the hospital has headlined in the region and the second time this year that the VCU Medical Center has been nationally recognized.

Earlier this year, The Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU notched the 28th spot among the best children’s hospitals in the nation.

John Duval, the CEO of the VCU Medical Center hospitals, said in a press release that he was humbled by the distinction.

“Ranking first in the Richmond area is a great honor for us, and we are proud to be leaders in the community we serve,” Duval said. “We have an exceptional team of dedicated and talented individuals at our academic medical center who help us achieve excellence in patient care everyday, and this recognition is because of them.”

According to a VCU press release, the purpose of the USNWR is to recognize the success of hospitals nationwide in providing quality treatment for patients. Specifically, the report takes into account statistics such as patient survival, safety data and the adequacy of nurse staffing.

The rankings were categorized into 16 subsidiaries and the top 50 hospitals in the nation were named in these respective subdivisions. In particular, VCU’s nephrology division, ranked 44th in the nation in this specialty, has excelled at treating kidney disorders by implementing over 3,000 kidney and pancreatic transplants. This division also has one of the best patient survival rates in the United States.

According to the USNWR, VCU Medical Center ranked third overall in Virginia; even among prestigious hospitals such as Sentara Norfolk General Hospital and Mary Washington Hospital. The center was recognized for its efficiency in handling cases ranging from cardiology to neurology.

Amber Richardson, who is both a VCU student and care partner at the Mother-Infant Care Unit at VCU Medical Center, is proud to be a member of the prestigious facility. She said VCU Medical Center’s recognition reaffirmed the reason she wanted to enroll into VCU’s nursing program. Richardson feels the essential reason VCU Medical Center differs from other hospitals across the Unites States is the staff’s attention to patient care.

“We have the most personable doctors I have ever met and the nurses are also stellar,” Richardson said. “They work hard to cater to every patient’s needs and work diligently to anticipate those needs.”