Moffitt again wins national ranking in cancer treatment

The Tampa research facility is rated 22nd out of 50 U.S. hospitals, improving from last year's 34th place.

By WES ALLISON

© St. Petersburg Times, published July 7, 2000

TAMPA -- The H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute again has been ranked one of the nation's top hospitals for cancer treatment.

The July 17 issue of U.S. News & World Report rated Moffitt 22nd out of 50 hospitals. Last year, Moffitt ranked 34th.

"We feel that this is a reflection of our outstanding research and clinical expertise and our continuing emphasis on bringing new discoveries to bear on the treatment and care of our patients," Dr. John C. Ruckdeschel, the center's director, said in a statement.

Moffitt, at the University of South Florida in Tampa, is the state's only National Cancer Institute research center and regularly conducts research and clinical trials of national significance. Its physicians also teach at USF.

The magazine ranked hospitals in 16 specialties, including cancer, pediatrics, orthopedics, geriatrics and cardiology. It based the rankings on reputation, mortality rates, procedures offered, nursing care and other factors.

First overall, for excelling in many specialties, was Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, followed by the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. First in cancer care was the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.

No other Tampa Bay-area hospitals made any of the lists, although several hospitals elsewhere in Florida were honored: Shands at the University of Florida in Gainesville was ranked 35th in cancer care, compared with 23rd place last year. Shands also ranked 48th in the treatment of digestive disorders.

In cardiology, Orlando Regional Medical Center ranked 24th, while its neighbor, Florida Hospital Medical Center, placed 41st. Martin Memorial Medical Center in Stuart was ranked 45th for treating respiratory disorders.

© St. Petersburg Times. All rights reserved.