U.S. News ranks CoxHealth fourth best hospital in MO

CoxHealth was one of two southwest Missouri hospitals and the only one in Springfield listed by U.S. News as one of the best hospitals in the state.

CoxHealth placed No. 4 on the list, tying with Joplin-based Freeman Health System. The U.S. News report, released July 16, listed 16 Missouri hospitals.

Both hospitals were marked as high performers in certain specialties. CoxHealth was recognized for its ear, nose and throat; gastroenterology; gynecology; neurology and neurosurgery; and pulmonology services. Freeman was selected for its gastroenterology; nephrology; neurology and neurosurgery; orthopedics; and pulmonology services.

U.S. News also analyzed a year's worth of patient surveys, as most U.S. hospitals sample recently discharged patients. Among CoxHealth's survey results:

• About 61 percent of patients rated the hospital high overall, while 11 percent rated it low overall.
• Sixty-eight percent of patients surveyed said they would definitely recommend the hospital to friends and family, while 6 percent said they probably or definitely would not recommend CoxHealth.
• Compared to state and national averages, doctors were rated as "good" and nurses were rated as "average." CoxHealth also ranked as "average" in a question asking patients whether they felt staff reacted quickly to their needs.

At Freeman, 65 percent of patients surveyed rated the hospital high overall, and 9 percent ranked it low overall.

Barnes-Jewish Hospital at Washington University Medical Center in St. Louis, which was ranked by U.S. News as the sixth best hospital in the nation, held the top spot in Missouri. Boston-based Massachusetts General Hospital ranked the highest in the nation, according to the U.S. News report.