What’s the best hospital in South Florida? How Miami, Broward land in latest rankings

The best hospital in South Florida is in Broward, according to the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings.

Cleveland Clinic Weston has been named the best hospital in South Florida in the latest rankings, knocking Baptist Hospital in Miami-Dade to second place.

The Broward hospital also earned national recognition for how it treats patients with stomach and digestive conditions.

“This recognition speaks to the collaborative spirit and the passion with which our caregivers serve our patients, each other and our communities,” Dr. Conor Delaney, president of Cleveland Clinic’s Florida market, said in a statement.

U.S. News & World Report has ranked and rated hospitals for more than 30 years to help patients find the best care. This year, U.S. News evaluated data for more than 4,500 hospitals across 15 specialties and 20 procedures and conditions to create their 2024-25 “Best Hospitals” rankings and ratings.

For the first time, the publication also released a list highlighting 53 hospitals in the country that are giving high quality care to underserved patients. One Florida hospital — UF Health Jacksonville — made it onto the list for equitable health care access.

This year, Cleveland Clinic Weston, 2950 Cleveland Clinic Blvd. in Weston, snagged the No. 1 spot for “Best Hospital” in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale metro area, bumping Baptist Hospital in Miami-Dade to second place.

The Broward County hospital also ranked in the national Top 50 list for gastroenterology and GI surgery, and earned a “High Performing” rating in three specialties and 14 procedures/conditions. “High Performing” ratings are the highest distinction a hospital can earn in U.S. News ratings for procedures and conditions and means the hospital ranked among the top 10% nationally in those areas.

And Cleveland Clinic Weston isn’t the only South Florida hospital to get praise.

The University of Miami’s Bascom Palmer Eye Institute again was named the top hospital in the nation for opthalmology. This is the 23rd time — and 21st consecutive year — U.S. News names Bascom Palmer best in the country for eye care.

“We are privileged to be recognized for delivering exceptional patient care and honored to again be recognized as the nation’s leader in the life-changing and dynamic field of opthalmology,” Dr. Eduardo Alfonso, the Kathleen and Stanley J. Glaser Chair in Ophthalmology, and Bascom Palmer’s director and chair, said in a statement. “The well-being of our patients inspires us to excel in patient care, vision research, opthalmic education, and surgical innovation.”

Nicklaus Children’s Hospital near South Miami came in second place again for best children’s hospital in Florida and also snagged the No. 10 spot for Best Children’s Hospital in the Southeast. Public health systems Jackson Health in Miami-Dade and Memorial Healthcare in Broward were recognized as some of the best rehabilitation centers in the nation. And other hospitals in the region and across the state were also nationally recognized for their expertise in various specialties, with Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville retaining its title of best hospital in Florida.

So, how well did your hospital do?

Here’s a look at the results:

How to understand the rankings and ratings

Here’s what U.S. News says about their rankings and ratings:

▪ Only 160 hospitals earned a “Best Hospitals” ranking for excelling “at factors such as clinical outcomes, level of nursing care, and best practices for patient safety.”

▪ There were 466 hospitals in the country that made it onto the “Best Regional Hospitals” list. This ranking highlights hospitals that earned the “highest possible rating in numerous procedures and conditions.”

▪ Fewer than half of the more than 4,500 hospitals evaluated were rated “high performing” for procedures and conditions. This is the highest distinction a hospital can earn in this category.

▪ U.S. News said it ranked and rated hospitals using a variety of measures, including data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, American Hospital Association, professional organizations and medical specialists.

Did any Florida hospitals make it into the country’s Top 5?

U.S. News ranked hospitals nationwide across 15 specialties. While several Florida hospitals, including in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, did make it onto U.S. News’ national Top 50 list for various specialties, only one Florida hospital made it into a national Top 5 list for a specialty.

And that was Bascom Palmer, which is continuing its more than two-decade reign as the top hospital for opthalmology.

Tampa General Hospital in Florida’s Gulf Coast was just shy of making it into a national Top 5 list and snagged the No. 6 spot for obstetrics and gynecology.

Top 5 Hospitals in Florida

U.S. News doesn’t just compare hospitals across the country. It also has a “Best Regional Hospital” list by state. Unlike last year, no South Florida hospitals made it onto the Top 5 list for Florida. The rankings:

▪ Mayo Clinic Jacksonville remains the top hospital in Florida and has secured the No. 1 spot again. It was nationally ranked in 10 specialties and rated High Performing in 19 procedures/conditions.

▪ Tampa General Hospital rose up the ranks and is now the second best hospital in the state. It was nationally ranked in eight specialties and rated High Performing in three specialties and 16 procedures/conditions. Last year, it was No. 4.

▪ UF Health Shands Hospital secured the No. 3 spot. It nationally ranked in seven adult specialties, four children’s specialties and was rated High Performing in three specialties and 18 procedures/conditions.

▪ AdventHealth Orlando is No. 4. It nationally ranked in four specialties and one children’s specialty. It also was rated High Performing in seven specialties and 15 procedures/conditions.

▪ Sarasota Memorial Hospital rounds up the list with No. 5 after nationally ranking in one specialty. It also rated High Performing in six specialties and 17 procedures/conditions. Baptist Health South Florida had the No. 5 spot last year.

How did South Florida hospitals do?

While hospitals in Miami-Dade and Broward counties didn’t make it into the Top 5 this year for “Best Regional Hospitals” in the state, South Florida still did pretty well. Four South Florida hospitals are in the Top 10:

Cleveland Clinic Weston was just shy of making it into the Top 5 and tied with Orlando Health-Orlando Regional Medical Center for No. 6 in the state. Baptist Health South Florida secured No. 8 (there is no No. 7 spot on the list) and the University of Miami Health System nabbed the No. 9 spot. Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach snagged No. 10.

Top 5 Hospitals in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale area

You don’t always need to travel to find the best care. Sometimes, it’s better to find the best care near you. And the top 5 hospitals in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale area list was reshuffled this year. Here are the rankings:

▪ Cleveland Clinic Weston rose up to No. 1, dethroning Baptist Health South Florida. It nationally ranked in one specialty, gastroenterology and GI surgery, and ranked high performing in three specialties — geriatrics, neurology and neurosurgery, pulmonology and lung surgery — and 14 procedures/conditions.

▪ Baptist Health Baptist Hospital was bumped down to No. 2. It did not rank nationally in any specialties, though it did rank high performing in seven adult specialties, including cancer, diabetes and endocrinology, and neurology and neurosurgery. It also was rated high performing in 10 procedures/conditions. U.S. News says that the hospital’s evaluation also includes data from Baptist Children’s Hospital.

▪ UHealth secured the No. 3 slot. It ranked nationally in two specialties — opthalmology and neurology and nuerosurgery. It also was rated high performing in 11 procedure/conditions.

▪ Mount Sinai Medical Center is No. 4 on the list and was rated high performing in four specialties — geriatrics, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopedics, and urology. The hospital was also rated high preforming in 11 procedures/conditions.

▪ Jupiter Medical Center in Palm Beach County rounds up the list as No. 5 and was rated high performing in nine procedures/conditions.

How did Florida’s pediatric hospitals rank?

There wasn’t any change in the Best Children’s Hospitals in Florida rankings. The list is the same as last year:

▪ Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in Saint Petersburg remains No. 1 in Florida and nationally ranked in seven children’s specialties.

▪ Nicklaus Children’s Hospital near South Miami is still No. 2 in Florida and is nationally ranked in five pediatric specialties: neonatology, pediatric cardiology and heart surgery, pediatric neurology and neurosurgery, pediatric orthopedics, and pediatric pulmonology and lung surgery.

▪ Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children in Orlando tied again with UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital in Gainesville for the No. 3 spot. Both hospitals nationally ranked in four children specialties.

▪ Nemours Children’s Hospital in Orlando tied with Wolfson Children’s Hospital in Jacksonville for the No. 5 spot in Florida. Both nationally ranked in two children’s specialties. There is no No. 4.

▪ Holtz Children’s Hospital in Miami, part of a partnership between Jackson Health System and UHealth, tied with Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital in Hollywood and AdventHealth for Children in Orlando for the No 7. spot in the state (there is No. 6). Holtz Children nationally ranked for pediatric diabetes and endocrinology. Joe DiMaggio nationally ranked for pediatric orthopedics. AdventHealth nationally ranked for neonatology.

Check the rankings

To learn more about hospital rankings, visit health.usnews.com/best-hospitals.