Shepherd Center , Atlanta, was ranked No. 2 in the Atlanta metro area in U.S. News & World Report’s first-ever Best Hospitals metro area rankings, available online at www.usnews.com/hospitals.

Shepherd Center and Emory University Hospital, which ranked No.1, are the only two facilities listed in the Atlanta metro rankings that are also included on the U.S. News & World Report national rankings. In those rankings, which are released each July, Shepherd Center ranks No. 9 among 20 hospitals that earned a spot in the magazine’s national survey of rehabilitation hospitals. Shepherd Center also held the distinction of being the only rehabilitation hospital in the Southeast that is listed in the top 10.

“We are excited about the introduction of the metro area Best Hospitals rankings and to be recognized for the high level of care we offer to individuals who’ve experienced a spinal cord, brain injury ,or neuromuscular disorder,” said Gary Ulicny, PhD, president and CEO of Shepherd Center.

The new rankings recognize 622 hospitals in or near major cities with a record of high performance in key medical specialties, including 132 of the 152 hospitals already identified as the best in the nation. There are nearly 5,000 hospitals nationwide.

U.S. News created the Best Hospitals edition more than 20 years ago to identify hospitals exceptionally skilled in handling the most difficult cases, such as brain tumors typically considered inoperable and delicate pancreatic procedures.

The new metro area rankings are relevant to a much wider range of health care consumers. They are aimed primarily at consumers whose care may not demand the special expertise found only at a nationally ranked Best Hospital. Patients and their families will have a far better chance of finding a U.S. News-ranked hospital in their health insurance network and might not have to travel to get care at a high-performing hospital.

To be ranked in its metro area, a hospital had to score in the top 25% among its peers in at least one of 16 medical specialties.

“All of these hospitals provide first-rate care for the majority of patients, even those with serious conditions or who need demanding procedures,” says Health Rankings Editor Avery Comarow. “The new Best Hospitals metro rankings can tell you which hospitals are worth considering for most medical problems if you live in or near a major metro area.”

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