The 14 best hospitals in Georgia, according to US News

Of the nearly 175 hospitals in Georgia, fourteen met the highest standards in U.S. News and World Report's national 2018 ranking of America's best hospitals.

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To determine the top Georgia hospitals, part of its "Best Regional Hospitals" breakdown, U.S. News analysts identified the institutions that were either nationally ranked in one of 12 specialties, had three or more high-performing ratings in a specialty or three or more ratings in the nine procedures and conditions.

The 12 specialties included:

• cancer
• cardiology and heart surgery
• diabetes and endocrinology
• ear, nose and throat
• gastroenterology and GI surgery
• geriatrics
• gynecology
• nephrology
• neurology and neurosurgery
• orthopedics
• pulmonology
• urology

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And the nine procedures:

• colon cancer surgery
• lung cancer surgery
• heart bypass surgery
• aortic valve surgery
• abdominal aortic aneurysm repair
• hip replacement
• knee replacement
• heart failure
• chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

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Any Honor Roll hospitals in a given region — those deemed the top 20 for high-performing procedure and condition ratings — automatically outranked the non-Honor Roll establishments. No Georgia hospital made that cut.

But Emory University Hospital in Atlanta nationally ranked in four different adult specialties (gastroenterology/GI surgery, geriatrics, neurology/neurosurgery, urology and cancer) and was the top regionally ranked hospital in the state.

The hospital also came out on top in last year’s report.

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Here are the 14 best hospitals in Georgia, according to U.S. News:

1. Emory University Hospital (Atlanta)

• Nationally ranked in gastroenterology & GI surgery, geriatrics, neurology & neurosurgery, opthalmology and orthopedics
• High performing in five adult specialties and eight procedures/conditions

2. Emory St. Joseph's Hospital (Atlanta)

• High performing in four specialties and eight procedures and conditions

3. (tie) Northeast Georgia Medical Center (Gainesville)

• High performing in all nine procedures and conditions

3. (tie) Piedmont Atlanta Hospital (Atlanta)

• High performing in one specialty and eight procedures and conditions

5. WellStar Kennestone Hospital (Marietta)

• High performing in eight procedures and conditions

6. University Hospital (Augusta)

• High performing in six procedures and conditions

7. (tie) Gwinnett Medical Center (Lawrenceville)

• High performing in five procedures and conditions

7. (tie) Northside Hospital-Forsyth (Cumming)

• High performing in five procedures and conditions

7. (tie) Piedmont Athens Regional Medical Center (Athens)

• High performing in five procedures and conditions

10. (tie) Emory University Hospital Midtown (Atlanta)

• High performing in four procedures and conditions

10. (tie) Memorial Health University Medical Center (Savannah)

• High performing in four procedures and conditions

10. (tie) Navicent Health Medical Center (Macon)

• High performing in four procedures and conditions

10. (tie) Northside Hospital (Atlanta)

• High performing in four procedures and conditions

14. St. Joseph’s Hospital (Savannah)

• High performing in three procedures and conditions

Atlanta's Children's Healthcare of Atlanta also nationally ranked for 10 children's specialties.