Riley Ranked as a Top Children's Hospital in U.S. by Child Magazine

Riley NICU and Pulmonary Departments Singled Out as Top Specialties

INDIANAPOLIS - Today, nationally distributed Child Magazine will release its annual rankings of children's hospitals in the United States. Riley Hospital for Children, Indiana's only comprehensive children's hospital, ranked 11th overall out of nearly 250 children's hospitals across the country. Child Magazine also recognized the Riley neonatal and pulmonary care departments in the top 10 among select specialties that were ranked.

Riley Hospital for Children is the only children's hospital in Indiana to be recognized in any category by Child Magazine. Riley has sites and serves patients at Riley Hospital for Children, Riley at Clarian North Medical Center, Riley at Methodist Hospital, as well as 14 other communities across Indiana.

"We are delighted to be recognized for our outstanding research and educational programs and the exemplary family-centered care that we provide to Indiana's families and children," said Ora Pescovitz, MD, president and CEO, Riley Hospital for Children. "This recognition acknowledges the excellence in patient care that all of the physicians and staff at Riley perform each and every day. As Indiana's only comprehensive children's hospital, Riley continues to set the standard in pediatric care in Indiana and beyond. We are very pleased of the esteemed recognition of our physicians and staff."

"I also want to send a special word of praise to the neonatal and pulmonary care teams at Riley for being recognized as leaders by Child Magazine," Dr. Pescovitz added. "The Riley NICU and pulmonary teams continue to be highly regarded by their peers and this recognition is another demonstration of the continued excellence that they perform day in and day out."

One of Dr. Pescovitz's stated goals upon her 2004 appointment as CEO was for Riley to be nationally recognized as a top 10 hospital in five years and top five hospital within 10 years. After two and half years, the Child Magazine ranking clearly shows that Riley is on a trajectory to meet and surpass these stated goals. This achievement is part of Riley's strategic plan to achieve excellence in all areas of care, education, research and advocacy.

Over the next five years, Riley will continue to recruit top physicians and researchers to become a national leader in research and education, bolster the life sciences growth in Central Indiana, continue to enhance its statewide partnerships, and above all else, enhance the level of care and service delivered to Hoosier families and children.

"Again, this recognition and success is a credit to the staff, physicians and leadership at Riley, the IU School of Medicine and Clarian Health, and I want to thank everyone for their great work and service," said Dr. Pescovitz.

The Riley Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) was the first in Indiana and was established in 1970. The Riley NICU has over 30 neonatologists, 180 neonatal nurses, and 20 neonatal respiratory therapists, as well as social workers, dieticians and other important staff. The NICU also employs two parents full-time to work alongside the social workers as family support professionals.

In 1976, Riley's highly regarded Pediatric Pulmonary Program was established in Indiana with national and international physician leaders. Riley's Pulmonary Department treats more than 14,000 patients a year. Comprised of 24 physicians, 19 nurses, 10 respiratory therapists, and social workers and dieticians, the programs leads the state in the diagnosis and treatment of infants, children and adolescents with acute and chronic respiratory disease, from moderate asthma to the most complex lung problems.

The Child Magazine rankings were based on a variety of criteria. A comprehensive 247-question survey developed with its Medical Advisory Board, consisting of leaders in the pediatric healthcare field, was distributed to all 116 full members of the National Association of Children¹s Hospitals and Related Institutions. The responses from seventy-six hospitals that completed the survey were graded to determine overall rankings and recognize leaders in six pediatric subspecialty areas.

The survey included questions pertaining to survival rates; the number of complex procedures and surgeries conducted; volume of research studies; efforts to reduce medical errors; quality and training of the doctors and nurses; and child-friendliness, support of families, and community involvement.

As Indiana's first and only comprehensive hospital dedicated exclusively to the care of children, Riley Hospital for Children, a Clarian Health Partner, has provided compassionate care, support and comfort to children and their families for more than 80 years. Each year Riley serves more than 230,000 inpatients and outpatients from across Indiana, the nation and the world. Riley Hospital's partnership with Clarian Health Partners and its strong affiliation with the Indiana University School of Medicine make it the only comprehensive clinical resource for Indiana's children and the premiere source for health related information for their parents. From simple care associated with the health and wellness of children and less complex specialty care to the most critically-ill and medically complex cases, Riley Hospital for Children is the leader for pediatric care in the state and the region. Clarian Health Partners, Inc. operates the Methodist Hospital, Indiana University Hospital and Riley Hospital campuses as a single hospital under Indiana law.