ValleyCare Hospital Excels In 5 Areas: Report

PLEASANTON, CA — Stanford Health Care-ValleyCare was snubbed on a recent ranking of the best hospitals in the state and nation, but was recognized for its high performance in five specialty areas.

The 2021-22 Best Hospitals rankings, released Tuesday by U.S. News and World Report, rates the best overall hospitals as well as others that consistently deliver the best care.

To compile the rankings, U.S. News compared more than 4,750 medical centers nationwide in 15 specialties and 17 procedures and conditions including cardiology, neurology, geriatrics, orthopedics and more.

U.S. News also added seven new procedures or conditions to the rankings this year, including heart attack, stroke, pneumonia, diabetes, kidney failure, hip fracture and back surgery.

The goal of the rankings is to help patients choose a hospital based on the specific type of care they need.

Stanford Health Care-ValleyCare received three of five stars when it came to patient experience and was recognized as high-performing for specialties including colon cancer surgery, heart and kidney failure, knee replacement and hip replacement. It fell short when it came to aortic valve surgery.

Nearby San Ramon Regional received high marks in specialties including kidney failure, stroke, hip replacement and pneumonia.

Fewer than one in three hospitals reviewed received a high-performing ranking, according to a statement from San Ramon Regional.

To the north of Tri-Valley, John Muir Health-Walnut Creek Medical Center ranked as the 10th best hospital in the Golden State and was nationally ranked when it came to diabetes and endocrinology, gynecology, orthopedics and pulmonology and lung surgery. The hospital was also ranked as high-performing in the areas of colon and lung cancer surgery, heart and kidney failure, diabetes, back surgery, stroke, hip and knee replacement, pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and hip fracture.

Data used to determine this year’s best hospitals came from a period predating the COVID-19 pandemic, meaning rankings were not affected by the pandemic’s effect on hospitals.

The methodology for the rankings is based largely on objective measures such as risk-adjusted survival and discharge-to-home rates, volume and quality of nursing, among other care-related indicators.

Learn more about the Best Hospitals methodology.

Of the hospitals analyzed by U.S. News, 531 were recognized as Best Regional Hospitals, based on their strong performance in multiple areas of care.

In addition to state, regional and specialty rankings, U.S. News also announced the 20 hospitals that made it to this year’s Honor Roll, which recognizes the top hospitals nationwide that deliver exceptional treatment across multiple areas of care.

For the sixth consecutive year, the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. claimed the No. 1 spot on the Best Hospitals Honor Roll, while Cleveland Clinic ranked No. 2, followed by UCLA Medical Center at No. 3.

In the specialty rankings, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center ranked No. 1 in cancer, the Cleveland Clinic is No. 1 in cardiology and heart surgery, and Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City is No. 1 in orthopedics.

See this year’s full Best Hospitals ranking.