Pediatric programs climb in national rankings
Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital, in partnership with McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston, climbed in state, regional, and national rankings in the 2026-27 U.S. News & World Report Best Children’s Hospitals.
The hospital was ranked No. 3 in both Texas and the Southwest, improving from No. 5 and No. 6, respectively, a year ago. Seven pediatric specialties were also recognized in the nation’s top 50, up from five last year.
“The improving rankings represent our commitment to improving all our clinical teams and benchmarking them against the best in the nation, with quality and patient safety at the core of all we do,” said Mary Aitken, MD, MPH, professor, chair of the Department of Pediatrics, and Dan L Duncan Distinguished University Chair in Pediatrics at McGovern Medical School. “We are very proud that UTHealth Houston faculty and staff are working in partnership within the hospital to build programs that better meet the health needs of children. Our joint success is demonstrated through these improved results year over year.”
The nationally recognized specialties are:
- Cardiology and heart surgery — No. 12
- Neonatology — No. 26
- Gastroenterology and GI surgery — No. 28
- Neurology and neurosurgery — No. 34
- Orthopedics — No. 40
- Nephrology — No. 50
- Behavioral health — Top 50 (not ordinally ranked)
The results included several notable gains. Nephrology earned a national ranking for the first time, while behavioral health joined the hospital’s nationally recognized specialties. Neonatology rose six spots from No. 32 to No. 26.
Cardiology and heart surgery recorded one of the largest gains, climbing seven places, from No. 19 to No. 12 nationally.
“Behind this recognition are incredible teams who show up every day for children and families during some of the most difficult moments of their lives,” said Melina R. Kibbe, MD, president of UTHealth Houston and Alkek-Williams Distinguished Chair. “That is what makes this work so meaningful: the expertise, the collaboration, the compassion and commitment to giving every child the best possible care and a healthier future.”
The Pediatric Cardiology and Heart Surgery program at the Children’s Heart Institute at Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital received high marks across several measures of clinical care. The program earned a very high rating for outcomes of congenital heart surgery and survival after Norwood/hybrid procedures, including during hospitalization, 30 days after surgery, and one year after initial reconstructive procedures.
The program also received high marks for survival and complication prevention after complex cardiac procedures. It performed strongly in infection prevention across inpatient and intensive care settings.
“This national recognition reflects the extraordinary expertise our faculty bring to pediatric cardiovascular care,” said LaTanya Love, MD, executive vice president of university affairs at UTHealth Houston, H. Wayne Hightower Distinguished Professor in the Medical Sciences, and dean of McGovern Medical School. “Through our partnership with Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital, our faculty are advancing care, discovery, and education while making a meaningful difference for children with the most complex heart conditions.”
Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital is the primary teaching hospital for the pediatric and obstetrics/gynecology programs at McGovern Medical School. The hospital provides care across more than 40 pediatric and women’s specialties, bringing together faculty physicians and hospital teams to serve children with a wide range of health needs.
The annual U.S. News & World Report Best Children’s Hospitals rankings are designed to help families and physicians make healthcare decisions for children with serious or complex medical conditions. The rankings consider patient outcomes, infection prevention, clinical resources, nurse staffing, patient safety, and adherence to best practices.
“These rankings show how UTHealth Houston physicians are leading some of the best programs for children in the nation,” said Kevin Lally, MD, MS, professor and chair emeritus of the Department of Pediatric Surgery; A.G. McNeese Chair in Pediatric Surgery; and Richard J. Andrassy, MD, Distinguished Chair in Pediatric Surgery at McGovern Medical School.