U.S. News & World Report Releases 2008 Best Hospitals Ranking

July 11, 2008 -- For the fifth year in a row, the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine’s Bascom Palmer Eye Institute has been ranked the nation’s best in ophthalmology in U.S. News & World Report’s annual Best Hospitals survey.  Bascom Palmer has received this top ranking seven times in the last 14 years.

The 2008 edition America’s Best Hospitals guide, dated July 23 and available on newsstands on July 16, ranks the top hospitals in 16 medical specialties.  The rankings can also be found online at www.usnews.com/best_hospitals.

“Bascom Palmer is proud to be recognized as the country’s leader in ophthalmology.  We are committed to providing superior, patient-centered eye care.  This dedication also propels our extensive medical education programs and comprehensive research advances continually made in our clinics and laboratories.  Being ranked #1 five years in a row is a reflection of the dedication of our physicians, scientists, researchers and staff.” said Eduardo Alfonso, M.D., Professor and Interim Chairman of Bascom Palmer Eye Institute.

Since 1962, Bascom Palmer has been at the forefront of innovation in ophthalmology.   Bascom Palmer’s physicians recently introduced bevacizumab (Avastin), manufactured by Genentech, to prevent blindness in wet age-related macular degeneration, a leading cause of vision loss among the elderly.  This groundbreaking work has been recognized by ophthalmologists around the world for its global impact on blinding eye disease.

Three other University of Miami Miller School of Medicine programs joined Bascom Palmer in this year’s U.S. News Best Hospitals issue.  The programs are followed by their position in the rankings:  Ear, Nose & Throat (18), Geriatric Care (45), and Neurology & Neurosurgery (39).

Bascom Palmer Eye Institute has earned an international reputation as one of the premier providers of eye care in the world and is the largest ophthalmic care, research and educational facility in the southeastern United States. More than 200,000 patients are treated each year with nearly every ophthalmic condition and more than 10,000 surgeries are performed annually. With patient care facilities in Miami, Palm Beach Gardens, Naples and Plantation, the institute serves as the Department of Ophthalmology for the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.