The Nebraska Medical Center moved up the list of America’s Best Hospitals ranking 36th for cancer care by the national magazine, U.S. News & World Report.
“I believe it!” said lymphoma patient Marion Warner of Lebanon, Neb., who said he’s feeling good one day after a stem cell transplant.
This is the 15th year the magazine has issued its annual list of America’s Best Hospitals, which are rated by factors such as reputation, mortality and nurse-to-bed ratios. The July 12, issue finds The Nebraska Medical Center improving on its 38th ranking in last year’s report.
“The Nebraska Medical Center is among the best in the world when it comes to cancer treatment and no one knows that better than our patients,” said Glenn Fosdick, president and CEO of The Nebraska Medical Center.
“I was told that this is the best place in the world to go for the treatment of lymphoma and I tell you, they’ve worked miracles on me,” Warner said.
The ratings climb reflects the commitment of UNMC physicians to become world-class, said two UNMC leaders. “The top priority in our strategic plan has been to improve our cancer services,” said John Gollan, M.D., Ph.D., dean of the UNMC College of Medicine. “This ranking would certainly seem to validate that we have been successful in achieving this goal. Best of all, we are just getting started. This is only the beginning. I look for our ranking to continue to climb in future years.”
Ken Cowan, M.D., Ph.D., director of the UNMC Eppley Cancer Center, agreed. “This is just another indication that people don’t have to go elsewhere to receive the best cancer treatment,” Dr. Cowan said. “The most cutting edge treatments are available right here in Nebraska at our medical center. We are the only National Cancer Institute designated cancer center in the five-state region from North Dakota down to Texas. The NCI has just renewed this designation for another five years, a tremendous accomplishment for our cancer center.
“Our reputation is growing nationally. In the U.S. News & World Report rankings, we actually rank No. 20 among the leading cancer centers in the nation in terms of reputation. This strong reputation will allow us to continue to recruit nationally recognized physicians and outstanding scientists and lead to breakthrough research in developing new cancer therapies that will make a difference in people’s lives.”
It already has for Warner. “I think the ranking speaks to both the program and the people,” he said. “Without the people you wouldn’t have a program. I’ve received extraordinary care here and I have great confidence.”
Said Dr. Gollan: “The ranking is a reflection on the sound foundation of the partnership between UNMC and The Nebraska Medical Center. It is a true team effort that combines oncology & hematology headed by Dr. Julie Vose, radiation oncology headed by Dr. Charles Enke, and surgical oncology directed by Dr. James Edney, coupled with the strength of the UNMC Eppley Cancer Center and its status as a leading national cancer center. Put it all together, and it means we are gaining increased patient activity regionally and we’re being acknowledged nationally. Without question, we are the No. 1 cancer center in the region.”
The Nebraska Medical Center is the only hospital in the country with two physicians on the National Comprehensive Cancer Network’s (NCCN) board of directors, Fosdick said. “So our patients get the best of both worlds – the clinical expertise of our academic and private practice physicians and the work being done by the researchers at the University of Nebraska Medical Center,” he said.
“The UNMC Eppley Cancer Center is a bright star in the galaxy of cancer centers across the nation and around the world,” said UNMC Chancellor Harold M. Maurer, M.D. “The light from that star is getting brighter.”
The America’s Best Hospitals report, which included 177 different medical centers, whittled down from 6,012 hospitals across the country, focused on 17 specialties from cancer to urology.
The report can be found in the July 12 issue of U.S. News and World Report, which hit newsstands Monday (July 5).