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For the 11th year in a row, U.S. News & World Report has ranked VCU Medical Center, which includes VCU Massey Cancer Center’s oncology patient care, as the number one hospital in the Richmond metro area in its annual “Best Hospitals” rankings. Massey’s cancer care was recognized as “High Performing” overall, and VCU Medical Center placed among the top three hospitals in Virginia for 2021-22.

“We’re thankful for everyone who has trusted us with their cancer care, and especially for those who partnered with us on clinical trials to find new and better ways to treat cancer,” said Robert Winn, M.D., director and Lipman Chair in Oncology at VCU Massey Cancer Center.

In addition to cancer, U.S. News recognized VCU Medical Center as high performing in the following programs: cardiology and heart surgery; gastroenterology and GI surgery; and orthopedics and urology. U.S. News designates “high-performing” adult specialty areas as close to ranking among the top 50 in the country.

“This recognition is a reflection of the unfailingly kind and extraordinary care we provide as an academic medical center,” said Art Kellermann, M.D., senior vice president for health sciences at VCU and CEO of VCU Health System. “It’s an affirmation of our mission to serve everyone and use our clinical expertise, research and teaching efforts to make the highest-quality care and great patient experience accessible and affordable to everyone.”

This year’s expanded report from U.S. News includes new ratings for seven important procedures and conditions, expanding the list of rated services to 17 total. VCU Medical Center earned a “High Performing” rating in nine areas, recognizing care was significantly better than the national average as measured by factors such as patient outcomes. Services receiving the highest rating U.S. News awards include

• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Colon cancer surgery
• Heart attack
• Heart bypass surgery
• Heart failure
• Kidney failure
• Lung cancer surgery
• Pneumonia
• Stroke

For the 2021-22 ratings, U.S. News evaluated more than 4,750 medical centers nationwide in 17 procedures and conditions. Less than a third of all hospitals received any high-performing rating. Heart attack, stroke, pneumonia and kidney failure are among the newly rated services by U.S. News this year.

Recognized for distinguished physicians, excellence in nursing and state-of-the-art technology, VCU Medical Center was also named to Newsweek’s list of World's Best Hospitals in 2021. Newsweek specifically acknowledged VCU Medical Center for performing above the national average in infection prevention.

Earlier this year, Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU ranked among the country’s top 50 children’s hospitals and was recognized for excellence in urology, pulmonology, nephrology and cancer.

The U.S. News Best Hospitals methodologies are largely based on objective measures such as risk-adjusted survival and discharge-to-home rates, volume and quality of nursing, among other care-related indicators.

For more information, please see U.S. News & World Report, VCU Medical Center.

Written by John Wallace, M.S.