By William J. Cromie

Gazette Staff

Massachusetts General and Brigham and Women's hospitals scored third and eighth in a ranking of America's best hospitals published this week by U.S. News and World Report.

The annual ranking takes into account such things as reputation among doctors, death rates, and various measures specific to different specialties, such as the number of doctors in training and the number of registered nurses relative to the number of beds. The magazine surveyed 1,961 medical centers, then ranked those with the highest scores in 16 specialties from AIDS to urology.

John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore won the top spot with lofty scores in 15 of the specialties. Mayo Clinic, in Rochester, Minn., took second.

Massachusetts General got third place with superior marks in 11 specialties. The hospital captured a first in endocrinology (disorders such as diabetes, infertility, osteoporosis, and hormone-related tumors). It won seconds in neurology and orthopedics; thirds in AIDS, cardiology, gastroenterology (diseases of the digestive system) and geriatrics; fourth in rheumatology; and fifth in urology. In another part of the ratings, Massachusetts General won first place in psychiatry.

Brigham and Women's ranked among the top 10 in rheumatology (muscles, joints and bones), gynecology, cardiology, endocrinology, gastroenterology, and geriatrics.

"While there always will be questions raised about the usefulness of these kinds of surveys, we're pleased to have . . . scored so well," said Samuel Thier, chief executive officer of Partners HealthCare System, a partnership that includes the two hospitals. "It is a testament to the hard work and dedication of many individuals throughout the Partners system."

Other Harvard-affiliated hospitals scored among the top five in individual specialties. Children's Hospital in Boston ranked first in pediatrics, including care of adolescents. Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary took first in otolaryngology (ear, nose, and throat), and fourth in ophthalmology (eye diseases). Dana-Farber Cancer Institute won third place for cancer diagnosis and treatment. McLean Hospital in Belmont, ranked third among psychiatric centers. Beth Israel got fifth place in geriatrics.

To be considered for what the magazine calls its "honor roll" of "America's elite hospitals," an institution had to be a member of the Council of Teaching Hospitals, be affiliated with a medical school, or have 9 of 18 items of high technology such as magnetic resonance imaging. Thus, many excellent community hospitals throughout the country were not included.