Memorial Sloan Kettering ranked number one cancer hospital in the U.S.

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center is proud and honored to announce it has been named the number one hospital for cancer care in the nation, according to U.S. News & World Report in its annual listing of Best Hospitals. Since the inception of the revered list 25 years ago, MSK has held either the first or second spot each year.

"We are delighted and honored to once again be a top hospital for cancer," said MSK President and CEO Craig B. Thompson, MD. "But this recognition is really a reflection of an entire community of exceptional people — our dedicated staff of almost 13,000 and our patients, who have placed their trust in our care. We may be number one in the national rankings for this year, but our patients are number one to us every day."

The rankings recognize hospitals that excel in treating the most challenging patients. In addition to its ranking for cancer care, MSK was ranked number four for gynecology, number nine for urology, and number 28 for ear, nose, and throat, and was recognized as high performing in the fields of gastroenterology and gastrointestinal surgery and geriatrics. Just 3 percent of the nearly 5,000 hospitals analyzed earned national ranking in even one specialty. Per U.S. News & World Report, hospitals that rank nationally in any specialty have the skill and experience to treat the most complex and demanding cases that can arise in that area. MSK is also ranked among the nation's top pediatric hospitals.

While competition among medical institutions in the New York metro area is high (MSK ranked number seven of all hospitals in New York City), MSK's singular focus on cancer means the hospital far outranks its neighbors for cancer care.

The U.S. News & World Report rankings are determined using a complex set of factors. These include the hospital's reputation among board-certified physician specialists around the nation, patient survival and safety data, and adequacy of nurse staffing levels, among other criteria.