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Washington, D.C. - June 18, 2019 - U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in hospital rankings and consumer advice, has ranked AdventHealth for Children's neonatology program in the new 2019-20 Best Children's Hospitals rankings published online today.

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AdventHealth for Children ranked No. 31 nationally and No. 1 in Florida for neonatology.

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The 13th annual Best Children's Hospitals rankings recognize the top 50 pediatric facilities across the U.S. in 10 pediatric specialties: cancer, cardiology and heart surgery, diabetes and endocrinology, gastroenterology and gastrointestinal surgery, neonatology, nephrology, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopedics, pulmonology and lung surgery, and urology.

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"AdventHealth for Children, whose board-certified pediatric physicians deliver care at AdventHealth Ocala, is committed to providing the highest quality, most advanced and compassionate whole-person care to the children and families we serve. Being ranked among the top 50 programs for newborn care for two consecutive years is a recognition of that steadfast commitment," said Dr. Rajan Wadhawan, senior executive officer of AdventHealth for Children and a board-certified neonatologist. "Delivering a baby prematurely or having a critically ill child is a very difficult time for parents. Our stellar team of talented nurses, physicians and volunteers -- who care for more than 2,000 babies in our neonatal intensive care units each year -- demonstrate their compassion and unmatched skill every day."

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"The Best Children's Hospitals rankings were designed to help provide families seeking the best medical care for their sick child with access to the most comprehensive data available," said Ben Harder, Managing Editor and Chief of Health Analysis at U.S. News. "The rankings, coupled with guidance from pediatricians, help families make better-informed decisions about where to find high-quality, compassionate care for their children when they need it most."

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U.S. News introduced the Best Children's Hospitals rankings in 2007 to help families of children with rare or life-threatening illnesses find the best medical care available. The rankings are the most comprehensive source of quality-related information on U.S. pediatric hospitals.

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The U.S. News Best Children's Hospitals rankings rely on clinical data and on an annual survey of pediatric specialists. The rankings methodology factors in patient outcomes, such as mortality and infection rates, as well as available clinical resources and compliance with best practices.

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This year's rankings will be published in U.S. News & World Report's "Best Hospitals 2020" guidebook (ISBN 9781931469937), available in stores mid-September.

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For more information, visit Best Children's Hospitals for the full rankings and use #BestHospitals on Facebook and Twitter.