The August issue of the U. S. News & World Report magazine has ranked "America's Best Children's Hospitals" to try to help children with rare or life-threatening illnesses such as cystic fibrosis or cancer or severe heart defects find a hospital best suited for their needs.

In a statement Avery Comarow , Health Rankings editor said, "While they might be a small percentage of all hospital patients, a large number of children every year need high-quality hospital care. The objective of the Best Children's Hospitals rankings is to help children with uniquely challenging medical needs, and for these special patients, it is essential they seek treatment at pediatric facilities with deep expertise."

160 freestanding children's hospitals and large multispecialty pediatric services were identified nationwide with the help of the National Association of Children's Hospitals and Related Institutions (NACHRI), out of these 98 responded and were ranked. They ranked the top 30 in 10 specialties: cancer, digestive disorders, heart and heart surgery, neonatal care, neurology and neurosurgery, and respiratory disorders, plus four new entrants of diabetes and endocrine disorders, kidney disorders, orthopedics, and urology.

A new introduction was the Honor Roll which recognizes the hospitals that earned a spot in all 10 specialty rankings.

A 65 page survey was completed by the hospitals, which covered care-related information from surgical death rates, handling infection to involvement in research activities and the availability of important subspecialists such as pediatric anesthesiologists.

Nearly 70 medical directors, department chairs, infection specialists, and other experts, grouped into specialty panels were involved in the survey and their recommendations, developed over four months, were reviewed by RTI International (RTI, a large research and consulting firm, also oversees the Best Hospitals project) and incorporated into the survey.

Hospitals were ranked on scores made up of three major elements: reputation, medical outcomes, and care-related indicators such as patient volume, nursing care, advanced technology and other factors.

The University of Michigan C. S. Mott Children's Hospital was given national rankings in eight of the 10 pediatric specialty areas featured and was the only hospital in the state to achieve such rankings. Mott received high ranks for heart surgery, kidney care and orthopedics, and the pediatric specialties of cancer, diabetes, digestive disorders, neonatal care and respiratory disorders.

N. C. Children's Hospital is one of the best children's hospitals in the nation, and the publication recognized N. C. Children's Hospital as 11th in the nation for caring for children with respiratory disorders.

In a statement Dr. Alan Stiles, the Children's Hospital's chief physician and chair of pediatrics at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine said, "This marks the second consecutive year that N. C. Children's Hospital attained the highest ranking of any children's hospital in the state. Families across North Carolina can rest easy knowing that, if and when they need it, their children have access to world-class care at one of the best children's hospitals in the entire country - not only here in Chapel Hill but at more than 25 satellite clinics throughout the state."