U.S. News & World Report said several methodology changes will be reflected in this year's edition of Best Hospitals rankings and ratings when they are published July 26.
Seven changes that will be reflected in the 2022-23 edition, according to U.S. News:
1. The effects of COVID-19 on care delivery will factor in. U.S. News said cases were not included in outcome measures "if they occurred during March 2020, if they involved a diagnosis of COVID-19 or if they occurred during a month in which the share of the hospital's inpatients who had COVID-19 exceeded either 15 percent or the national average among Medicare beneficiaries for that time period, whichever was lower."
2. There are three new ratings for eligible hospitals: ovarian cancer surgery, prostate cancer surgery and uterine cancer surgery.
3. U.S. News introduced "home time" as a patient-centered outcome measure in certain procedures and conditions ratings.
4. U.S. News added a new measure of hospitals' public transparency to the obstetrics and gynecology ranking.
5. The transcatheter aortic valve replacement ratings now include a separate public transparency measure.
6. U.S. News added measures of low-value care in the knee replacement and stroke ratings.
7. Best regional hospitals must meet the following criteria to receive that recognition this year: "provide general medical and surgical services; receive at least seven high performing ratings across the 20 procedures and conditions or a national ranking in at least one of 11 data-driven adult specialties; and receive at least three more high performing ratings than below average ratings across the procedures and conditions," U.S. News said.
To learn more about these and other changes, click here.