title: Role of reputation in top pediatric specialties rankings.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although the role of reputation in determining the relative standings in the U.S. News & World Report (USNWR) annual rankings of the top 50 hospitals has received analytical attention, the role of reputation in the best children's hospitals pediatric specialty rankings has not been quantified. Our goal was to quantify the role of reputation in determining the relative standings of the top-ranked pediatric specialties and their associated hospitals in the 2008-2010 editions of the USNWR best children's hospital rankings.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study of USNWR data collected from the top 30 hospitals in each of 6 (and later 10) specialties was performed. The main outcome measures were rankings based on total USNWR scores and subjective reputation scores.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On average, rankings based on reputation scores alone correlated with USNWR overall rankings; correlation coefficients ranged from 0.80 to 0.98 (Spearman Correlation; mean P < .001). This relationship was consistent over all 3 survey years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The relative standings of the top 30 pediatric hospitals in each of 10 specialties are largely explained by the compelling correlation between subjective reputation scores and ranking scores.
authors: Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego, CA 92123-5074, USA. rbush@rchsd.org
authors: Ruth A
authors: RA
authors: Bush
authors: Edward J
authors: EJ
authors: Quigley
authors: Lyman
authors: L
authors: Fox
authors: Ivan
authors: I
authors: Garcia-Bassets
mesh_terms: D019985:Benchmarking; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric / Q000145:classification / Q000592:standards*; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000145:classification / Q000592:standards*; D014481:United States