What Makes Cleveland Clinic Great

1. Perserverence. Founded in 1921, the Cleveland Clinic endured a devastating 1929 fire that killed 123 people, including one of the founders. Forced to rebuild at the beginning of the Great Depression, it not only survived but gained a national reputation for treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

2. Long list of clinical firsts. The clinic logged the first coronary angiography in 1958, first coronary artery bypass surgery in 1967 and the first minimally invasive aortic valve surgery in 1996. It was also the first to isolate serotonin, involved in depression, and the first in America to promote of conservative surgery for breast cancer. It also invented the "washing-machine" dialysis machine.

3. Integrated healthcare system. While other institutions strive to integrate hospital and outpatient care, this $5 billion healthcare system is already there. Some 1,700 salaried staff physicians in 120 specialties and subspecialties work through 10 hospitals plus affiliates.

4. High U.S. News ranking. The clinic ranked fourth on U.S. News & World Report's list of America's Best Hospitals in 2009. On U.S. News' specialty-specific list, it ranks first for heart and heart surgery; second for rheumatology, urology and digestive disorders; fourth for orthopedic and respiratory disorders; and fifth for kidney disorders.

5. Less expensive care. Cleveland Clinic provided the most cost-efficient care among the top five on U.S. News & World Report's list of America's Best Hospitals, according to the 2008 Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care. The clinic incurred $31,252 in expenses during the last two years of life, nearly 50 percent below the most expensive.

6. Strong leadership. Since becoming CEO in 2006, Delos M. "Toby" Cosgrove, MD, has overseen basic changes within the clinic, such as its reorganization into institutes, and has influenced national affairs. A thoracic surgeon who joined the organization in 1975, Dr. Cosgrove has criticized the health reform law for doing little to improve efficiency in healthcare delivery.

7. Cutting-edge changes. In 2006 the clinic replaced traditional clinical departments with 25 "institutes" organized by disease or organ system. In July 2009, the clinic named dual operating officers for medical and non-medical operations in an effort to better integrate operations. Its Strategic Planning and Continuous Improvement Department has 50 employees.  

8. Focus on prevention. In the past few years, the clinic has stopped hiring smokers, eliminated unhealthy foods from its campus and helped employees lose weight. Offered subsidies to enter Weight Watchers and fitness programs, employees lost a total of 110,000 pounds in nine months.

Learn more about The Cleveland Clinic.