Stanford, UCSF Medical Center ranked among best hospitals in the U.S.

The Bay Area’s status as a powerhouse for medicine was bolstered Tuesday when U.S. News & World Report ranked Stanford Hospital in Palo Alto and UC San Francisco Medical Center among the 20 best hospitals for adults in the country.

Published annually by the New York-based research outfit to help patients choose quality hospitals, the list also ranked Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose 8th in the U.S. for rehabilitation medicine and John Muir Health Concord Medical Center 48th in cardiology.

Hospital executives in the Bay Area applauded the new list Tuesday. To make its rankings each year, U.S. News & World Report analyzes data for each hospital’s patient outcomes, including successful procedures, mortality rates and advanced specialty programs, and considers the opinions of patients and doctors. A small fraction of the nation’s 4,500 hospitals – about 4% – were among the top 50 hospitals for a specialty.

“The greatest measure of our success is the trust patients place in us during some of the most important moments of their lives,” Suresh Gunasekaran, president and chief executive officer of UCSF Health, said in a statement.

The hospital complex in San Francisco was ranked top nationally in several specialties as well, including geriatrics, pulmonology — the treatment of respiratory conditions — and lung surgery.

Stanford Hospital was ranked the top for cancer treatment in California, second in the state for cardiology, heart and vascular surgery, and third in the state for orthopedics — the treatment and prevention of conditions in the bones, muscles and joints.

In Silicon Valley, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center was listed as 8th nationally for rehabilitation. Specialists there help adults and children recover their independence after brain and spinal injuries, stroke or neurological conditions, according to a statement on Tuesday. The 64-bed unit treats patients from throughout Northern California.

“This recognition is the result of the consistent dedication and collaborative care of our interdisciplinary rehabilitation teams, caring for each patient as if they were their own family member,” said Dr. James Crew, the hospital’s chair of physical medicine and rehabilitation.

Each year, U.S. News & World Report analyzes federal data for a hospital’s patient outcomes; the availability of advanced programs; its volume of patients; accreditations from medical specialty groups, and more.

You can search for your local hospital or region’s specialties here.