July 28 2020 – Bascom Palmer Eye Institute of the University of Miami Health System has been ranked again as the nation’s best in ophthalmology by U.S News & World Report. This year marks the 19th time, and the 17th consecutive year, that Bascom Palmer has received the No. 1 ranking since the publication began surveying U.S. physicians for its annual “Best Hospitals” rankings 31 years ago.
“Delivering excellent vision care to our patients is always our number one priority,” said Eduardo C. Alfonso, M.D., director of Bascom Palmer Eye Institute. “Our dedicated team has been able to turn the COVID-19 challenge into new opportunities to deliver clinical care safely and effectively, while advancing our research collaborations and medical education programs throughout the world.”
The Department of Otolaryngology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine was ranked No. 28 in the nation by U.S. News. Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center and neurology and neurosurgery programs were recognized as “high performing,” as they were the year before.
“Bascom Palmer is a global leader in transformational vision care and medical education, creating exceptional ophthalmologists who go on to care for patients around the world,” said Henri R. Ford, M.D., M.H.A., dean and chief academic officer of the Miller School of Medicine. “We are also extremely proud of the groundbreaking work of our ear, nose and throat program, and the continued excellence of Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center and our neurology and neurosurgery programs.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic Bascom Palmer has expanded its innovative approach to patient safety, including telehealth and hybrid services that shorten diagnostic imaging clinic visits. “Our skilled ophthalmologists can now provide vision evaluations, consultations and follow-up care to patients in their homes,” said Dr. Alfonso, who is chair of the Department of Ophthalmology and Kathleen and Stanley J. Glaser Endowed Professor of Ophthalmology at the Miller School of Medicine.
Responding to the global need for remote health care, Bascom Palmer’s clinicians and researchers are moving ahead with other innovations in ophthalmic technology, such as remote slit lamps for diagnostic imaging, vision testing devices that patients can use at home, and artificial intelligence systems to detect eye diseases using a vast databank of images and use of data available in the electronic health record. “Regardless of what the next few years have in store, Bascom Palmer will continue to play a leading role in advancing every field of ophthalmology,” said Dr. Alfonso.
Dipen Parekh, M.D., chief operating officer of UHealth, said patients are fortunate to be able to receive Bascom Palmer’s unmatched care at any of five Florida locations: Miami, The Lennar Foundation Medical Center in Coral Gables, Palm Beach Gardens, Naples, and Plantation. “Bascom Palmer is a shining example of the clinical expertise that is available for all patients at the University of Miami Health System. It makes us a health care destination for patients from around the world,” Dr. Parekh said.
“Bascom Palmer faculty members collaborate with their colleagues across the Miller School and the University of Miami to develop and provide the most advanced care anywhere for their patients,” said Hilarie Bass, J.D., chair of the University of Miami Board of Trustees. “We could not be more proud of this top national ranking, year after year.”
Bascom Palmer is also ranked as the #1 Overall Ophthalmology Program, the Best in Clinical Care, and the Best Ophthalmic Residency Program in the United States by Ophthalmology Times, a national publication focused on cutting-edge advancement in vision care.
“Dr. Alfonso and his amazing team just keep raising the bar for outstanding vision research and patient care,” said Stuart A. Miller, chair of the UHealth Board of Directors and UM Trustee. “Many of the world’s most important discoveries in treating and preventing eye diseases have been made by Bascom Palmer scientists and physicians.”
The U.S News & World Report rankings are based on data from nearly 5,000 medical centers and survey responses from more than 30,000 physicians. The 2020-2021 Best Hospital rankings are accessible at https://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals/rankings and in the U.S. News “Best Hospitals” 2020 guidebook.
