Baystate rated high in report

07/21/2008- The Republican

SPRINGFIELD - For the second consecutive year, Baystate Medical Center has been ranked a top hospital in endocrinology by U.S. News & World Report.

In the magazine's annual "Best Hospitals" rankings, just 170 out of more than 5,400 hospitals scored high enough to be ranked in at least one of 16 specialties. Among the specialties were cancer, gastrointestinal disorders, gynecology, heart and heart surgery, endocrinology and urology.

Dr. J. Enrique Silva, chief of the Baystate Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, called the recognition "very gratifying."
"In addition, it's an added stimulus to continue our mission, to reach out to the community for preventive interventions, and to continue to develop groundbreaking research in this field of medicine," Silva said.

The endocrine system is the essential regulator of a person's metabolism and tissue function.

Nineteen hospitals received an Honor Roll ranking, meaning each facility received high scores in six or more specialties. Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore ranked No. 1. Two Boston hospitals represented Massachusetts on the Honor Roll: Massachusetts General Hospital was ranked No. 5 and Brigham and Women's Hospital was ranked No. 8.

Baystate's intensive care unit has also been recognized for the fourth consecutive year with the Beacon Award for Critical Care Excellence by the American Association of Critical Care Nurses. No other hospital in America has received the award four straight years, the medical center said.