U.S. News & World Report has ranked Emory University Hospital (EUH) the number one hospital in both Georgia and metro Atlanta in its 2013-2014 Best Hospitals guide for a second year in a row. (Emory University Hospital includes Wesley Woods Geriatric Hospital and Emory University Orthopaedics & Spine Hospital.)

Emory University Hospital Midtown (EUHM) moved up a slot in each category from last year, ranking 4th in Georgia and 3rd in metro Atlanta this year. Saint Joseph’s Hospital ranks 12th in Georgia and 5th in metro Atlanta (up from 7th last year) in this year's guide.

Out of 60 hospitals in metro Atlanta, only eight hospitals ranked in the metro area. To be ranked, metro areas must have at least one million residents and must have at least two hospitals in that area that are either nationally ranked (in at least one specialty) or considered high performing (in at least four specialties).

State rankings follow the same methodology with two or more nationally ranked specialties or being named high performing for inclusion. Just 19 hospitals ranked this year out of 187 in the state of Georgia.

Nationally, Emory University Hospital ranked in five specialty areas: cancer (#44),cardiology and heart surgery (#44), neurology and neurosurgery (#40), ophthalmology(#16) and psychiatry (#13).

EUH was also high-performing this year in ten adult specialty areas, including: diabetes and endocrinology; ear, nose and throat; gastroenterology and GI surgery; geriatrics; gynecology; nephrology; orthopaedics; pulmonary; rheumatology and urology.

EUHM was noted high-performing in 12 specialty areas, including: cancer; cardiology and heart surgery; diabetes and endocrinology; ear, nose and throat; gastroenterology and GI surgery; geriatrics; gynecology; nephrology; neurology and neurosurgery; orthopaedics; pulmonary and urology.

Saint Joseph’s Hospital was listed as high performing in three specialty areas:  gastroenterology and GI surgery, geriatrics and nephrology.

U.S. News publishes Best Hospitals to help guide patients who need a high level of care because they face particularly difficult surgery, a challenging condition, or added risk because of other health problems or age. Three weighted factors are used to rank hospitals, including hospital structure, reputation and outcomes.  

The specialty rankings and data were produced for U.S. News by RTI International, a leading research organization based in Research Triangle Park, N.C. Using the same data, U.S. News produced the state and metro rankings. 

The rankings have been published at www.health.usnews.com/best-hospitals and will appear in print in the U.S. News Best Hospitals 2014 guidebook, available on newsstands on August 27.