Bascom Palmer is No. 1 in ophthalmology for the tenth consecutive year.

After a triumphant golden anniversary celebration last year, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine has achieved another historic milestone. For the 10th consecutive year, the renowned institute is ranked No. 1 nationally in ophthalmology in U.S. News & World Report’s annual “Best Hospitals” rankings.

“This remarkable decade-long streak as No. 1 confirms Bascom Palmer’s reputation as America’s leader in providing the most advanced and comprehensive vision care,” said Pascal J. Goldschmidt, senior vice president for medical affairs, dean of the Miller School, and CEO of UHealth. “Our amazing Bascom Palmer team is consistently redefining excellence—in vision research, clinical care, and education—which brings hope to patients with some of the world’s most debilitating ophthalmological conditions.”

Reflecting on the past ten years at the top of the rankings, Eduardo C. Alfonso, professor of ophthalmology and chair of Bascom Palmer, also credited Bascom Palmer’s high-performance team.

“Reaching this ten-year milestone has everything to do with the tireless commitment of Bascom Palmer’s ophthalmologists, vision researchers, nurses, ophthalmic technicians, and support staff,” Alfonso said. “I am honored and privileged to be a part of Bascom Palmer’s performance as the nation’s most sought-after medical destination for ophthalmology and look forward to setting the bar for patient-centered care for decades to come.”

Founded in 1962, Bascom Palmer is the largest ophthalmic care, research, and educational facility in the southeastern United States. Its staff treats more than 250,000 patients and performs more than 13,000 surgeries annually. At the forefront of innovation in ophthalmology for more than five decades, the institute’s physicians and scientists are internationally recognized for their expertise in every eye disorder, including glaucoma, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, dry eye, eye cancers, and eye diseases in children.

Bascom Palmer has nearly 80 faculty and researchers working on revolutionary ways to treat eye disorders and disease, including research that could reverse vision loss in demyelinating diseases such as multiple sclerosis. Bascom Palmer also continues to be a leader in age-related macular degeneration research and education.

Six other specialties of the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital—cancer, gastroenterology and GI surgery, nephrology, neurology and neurosurgery, psychiatry, and urology—were recognized by U.S. News for high performance. University of Miami Hospital also was rated as high performing in neurology and neurosurgery.

The U.S. News “Best Hospitals” rankings, now in their 24th year, recognize hospitals that excel in treating patients with the most challenging medical conditions and serve as a guide to identifying hospitals where health professionals have the strongest skills in treating high-risk patients and performing complex procedures. With more emphasis on measurable clinical yardsticks, such as patient volume, nurse staffing, and patient safety and outcomes, than in prior years, just 3 percent of the nation’s nearly 5,000 hospitals earned a national ranking in at least one of the 16 specialties evaluated, and only about 15 percent were recognized for high performance.

In addition to Bascom Palmer’s national recognition, U.S. News rated the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Medical Center among the best hospitals in the state. University of Miami/Jackson is ranked No. 1 in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale metro area and No. 6 in Florida—prestige that comes just five weeks after Holtz Children’s Hospital at University of Miami/Jackson was rated among the nation’s top children’s hospitals in U.S. News’ 2013-14 “Best Children’s Hospitals” rankings. Holtz ranked 22nd in gastroenterology and GI surgery (up 17 spots from last year), 22nd in nephrology (up four spots), 32nd in neonatology (up nine spots), 38th in urology (up one spot), 40th in cardiology and heart surgery (up five spots), and 45th in diabetes and endocrinology.

“This national honor is a testament to the expertise and collaboration of Jackson Health System and the physicians and surgeons from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine,” said Carlos A. Migoya, President and CEO of Jackson Health System. “Whether for everyday emergencies or life-threatening conditions, patients across Miami-Dade and around the world choose Jackson for compassionate, world-class care. University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Medical Center is working hard every day to earn the continued trust and support of patients, caregivers, and taxpayer-owners.”

To further accommodate the increasing demand for services, Bascom Palmer continues to expand access to its top-ranked eye care and clinical trials throughout Florida. Bascom Palmer recently broke ground on a new eye center in Naples that will quadruple the space of its existing facility, and plans are under way to open a center in Coral Gables on the University of Miami campus. Bascom Palmer also serves as the ophthalmology department for University of Miami Hospital, Jackson Memorial Hospital, and the Miami VA Medical Center.

U.S. News publishes the “Best Hospitals” rankings in collaboration with RTI International, a leading North Carolina-based research organization. Using the same data, U.S. News produced the state and metro rankings.

The 2013-14 rankings are published online and will appear in the “Best Hospitals 2014” guidebook, which will be available in bookstores and on newsstands August 27.