Monday, August 12, 2019 4:35 pm

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital has been ranked as the No. 2 pediatric cancer hospital on U.S. News & World Report's 13th Annual "Best Children's Hospitals" list. The publication ranks the 50 highest-scoring pediatric hospitals across the U.S. in 10 comprehensive specialties.

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

St. Jude is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Care Center devoted solely to children, having recently received the NCI's highest ranking of "exceptional." The hospital has top survival rates for some of the most common and aggressive childhood cancers, including acute lymphoblastic leukemia and medulloblastoma. St. Jude creates more cancer clinical trials than any other children's hospital in the U.S., and unlike most hospitals, no family receives a bill from St. Jude for anything, including treatment, travel, housing and food.

St. Jude has maintained designated Magnet status by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Magnet status is the highest honor granted to nursing services. Only 7 percent of all U.S. hospitals have achieved this recognition.