Wolfson Children’s Hospital ranked among the best in the country for four specialties

As part of its 2024-2025 Best Children’s Hospitals rankings, U.S. News & World Report has recognized Wolfson Children’s Hospital as one of the 50 Best Children’s Hospitals in the nation in four specialties: Cancer, Diabetes & Endocrinology, Neurology & Neurosurgery and Pediatric & Adolescent Behavioral Health.

Wolfson Children’s Hospital, in collaboration with Nemours Children’s Health and the University of Florida College of Medicine – Jacksonville, offers specialized pediatric cancer care for the North Florida and South Georgia region and beyond. Our team is involved in research, studies and clinical trials, and provides cutting-edge treatment options and protocols based on the latest medical advancements.

A full range of endocrinology services are also offered at Wolfson Children’s in collaboration with Nemours Children’s, who together diagnose and treat conditions ranging from diabetes to metabolic and growth disorders and participate in ground-breaking research.

The Walter and Michelle Stys Neuroscience Institute at Wolfson Children’s provides comprehensive neurology and neurosurgery services, treating conditions from epilepsy and brain tumors to traumatic brain injury, in collaboration with Nemours Children’s and the University of Florida College of Medicine – Jacksonville.

In collaboration with Nemours Children’s and Baptist Behavioral Health, Wolfson Children’s offers a range of behavioral health services, including both inpatient and outpatient consultation, evaluation and treatment. This past year, Wolfson Children’s opened a 20-bed Behavioral Health and Wellness Unit, doubling the number of beds available to children and adolescents needing inpatient behavioral health care.

Wolfson Children’s achieves national ranking year after year

“Once again, Wolfson Children’s Hospital is honored to be ranked as one of the top children's hospitals in the country by U.S. News & World Report,” said Allegra C. Jaros, MBA, president of Wolfson Children’s Hospital. “To be ranked in four different specialties this year is a testament to the skill and expertise of both our clinical team and our longstanding pediatric collaborators, Nemours Children’s Health and the UF College of Medicine – Jacksonville. Wolfson Children’s is especially pleased to be ranked among the top 50 in the country for pediatric cancer, a reflection of our 20+ year investment in expanding our programs to provide a range of advanced cancer therapies, including stem cell transplantation, MIBG and CAR T-Cell in collaboration with Nemours Children’s and Mayo Clinic and with support from donors and the community.”

Jaros added, “We are also excited to be named in a new U.S. News ranking – Best Children’s Hospitals for Pediatric & Adolescent Behavioral Health. This achievement is possible thanks to the investment and support of these services by Baptist Health, donors, the community, Northeast Florida Legislative Delegation and Florida Legislature. This private-public collaboration recently led to the opening of our new pediatric inpatient behavioral health unit to better serve our community. Our behavioral health physicians and care team with Nemours Children’s and Baptist Behavioral Health have worked tirelessly to address the critical need for mental health care in Northeast Florida and beyond, and we are proud their efforts have been recognized. We remain dedicated to ensuring that children can receive top-tier pediatric specialty care close to home, offering families hope and healing right in their own community.”

“At Nemours Children’s Health, we are proud to collaborate with Wolfson Children’s Hospital to deliver world-class care to children,” said Andrew Stec, MD, MBA, vice president and chief medical officer, Nemours Children’s Health, Jacksonville, and chief of Urology at Wolfson Children’s Hospital. “The U.S. News rankings underscore the high quality of care our patients receive. This recognition is a testament to our unwavering commitment and collaborative teamwork to provide exceptional pediatric specialty care to the children and families we serve.”

“It is a great asset to Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia to have a hospital like Wolfson Children’s Hospital that is consistently recognized by U.S. News & World Report for providing top quality care to children with neurological and neurosurgical conditions,” said Philipp Aldana, MD, co-medical director of the Stys Neuroscience Institute at Wolfson Children’s Hospital. “We are proud to be part of the team of neuro experts from Wolfson Children’s, Nemours Children’s Health and UF-Jacksonville. This team of health care professionals comes together at any time of the day, using the latest protocols, technology and equipment, to provide the very best neurological care to the children of the region.”

“Being recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of the top hospitals for Pediatric and Adolescent Behavioral Health care reinforces our dedication to excellence and reflects our commitment to delivering high-quality care while meeting the needs of our community,” said Kendra A. Wagner, MA, ATR-BC, ATCS, LMHC, interim executive director of Baptist Behavioral Health. “The passion of our multi-disciplinary team is evident in their thoughtful, intentional, and innovative approach to treating our most vulnerable patients.”

The annual Best Children’s Hospitals rankings and ratings, now in their 18th year, are designed to assist families and their doctors in making informed decisions about where to receive care for challenging health conditions.

U.S. News, together with RTI International, a North Carolina-based research and consulting firm, collected and analyzed data from 108 children’s hospitals and surveyed thousands of pediatric specialists. Children’s hospitals awarded a “Best” designation excelled at factors such as clinical outcomes, level and quality of hospital resources directly related to patient care and expert opinion among pediatric specialists.

“U.S. News & World Report’s annual Best Children's Hospitals evaluation empowers parents and caregivers with a data-driven guide to help them find the best pediatric hospital to treat their child,” said Ben Harder, chief of health analysis and managing editor at U.S. News.

The full rankings for the 2024-2025 Best Children’s Hospitals Honor Roll, regional and specialty rankings can be found at USNews.com. For more information, explore #BestChildrensHospitals on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X.