Washington, DC, Sept. 15, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Children’s National in Washington, D.C., was once again ranked as a top hospital in the nation by the U.S. News & World Report 2026-27 Best Children’s Hospitals annual rankings. This marks the 10th straight year Children’s National has made the Honor Roll, a distinction awarded to only 10 children’s hospitals nationwide.
Children’s National also ranked in all 11 specialty services and is the highest U.S. News ranked children’s hospital in Washington, D.C, Maryland and Virginia. Recently, U.S. News introduced pediatric & adolescent behavioral health as a service line in its rankings. While there are no ordinal rankings for behavioral health, the Children’s National program was named one of the top 50 programs in the country for the third year in a row.
“We’re so proud to reach this milestone of being named among the nation’s top children’s hospitals for the 10th year in a row,” said Michelle Riley-Brown, MHA, FACHE, president and chief executive officer of Children’s National. “Our leadership in specialties like neurology, cancer, neonatology, and diabetes and endocrinology underscores our belief that kids are our everything. It also shows what’s possible when our teams bring their expertise, commitment and heart to make sure every child receives the best care.”
The annual rankings are the most comprehensive source of quality-related information on U.S. pediatric hospitals and recognize the nation’s top 50 pediatric hospitals based on a scoring system developed by U.S. News.
“Earning a place on U.S. News’ Best Children’s Hospitals list is a testament to Children’s National’s dedication to clinical excellence and patient safety,” said Ben Harder, chief of health analysis and managing editor at U.S. News. “These rankings highlight the standout hospitals in each specialty and each region.”
The bulk of the score for each specialty service is based on quality and outcomes data. The process includes a survey of relevant specialists across the country who are asked to list hospitals they believe provide the best care for patients with the most complex conditions.
The Children’s National specialties ranked in the top 10 nationally by U.S. News are:
- Neurology and Neurosurgery (No. 5), led by Division Chiefs William D. Gaillard, MD, and Robert F. Keating, MD
- Neonatology (No. 7), led by Division Chief Billie Lou Short, MD
- Diabetes and Endocrinology (No. 7), led by Division Chief Andrew Dauber, MD, MMSc
- Cancer (No. 7), led by Division Chief Eugene Hwang, MD
- Orthopedics (No. 9), led by Division Chief Matthew Oetgen, MD, MBA
- Gastroenterology and GI Surgery (No. 9), led by Division Chiefs Ian Leibowitz, MD, Mikael Petrosyan, MD, MBA, and Marc Levitt, MD
The other specialties ranked among the top 50 are Behavioral Health, Cardiology and Heart Surgery, Nephrology, Pulmonology and Lung Surgery, and Urology.
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About Children’s National
For 155 years, Children’s National in Washington, D.C., has delivered expert pediatric care at every milestone. As the region’s only standalone children’s hospital, kids have been the center of its mission since 1870. Today, it is one of the top 10 children’s hospitals in the nation and ranked in all specialties evaluated by U.S. News & World Report. Children’s National is transforming pediatric medicine for all children.
The Children’s National Research & Innovation Campus opened in 2021, a first-of-its-kind pediatric hub dedicated to developing new and better ways to care for kids. Children’s National has been designated four times in a row as a Magnet® hospital, demonstrating the highest standards of nursing and patient care delivery. This pediatric academic health system offers expert care through a convenient, community-based primary care network and specialty care locations in the D.C. metropolitan area, including Maryland and Virginia. Children’s National is home to the Children’s National Research Institute and Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation. It is recognized for its expertise and innovation in pediatric care and as a strong voice for children through advocacy at the local, regional and national levels.
In 1987, Children’s National founded Safe Kids Worldwide, a non-profit dedicated to reducing unintentional injuries among children through comprehensive national and global education, research and advocacy. As a non-profit, Children’s National relies on generous donors to help ensure that every child receives the care they need.
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Shannon Cross Children's National 2024764500 media@childrensnational.org
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