Sioux Falls Sanford Children's Recognized as One of the Top Pediatric Hospitals in the United States
Sanford USD Medical Center has been awarded on Money’s list of Best Hospitals for Pediatric Care in 2025. The annual ranking recognizes the top 75 pediatric hospitals in the U.S., highlighting medical centers that not only deliver safe, high-quality care but also be staffed by experienced providers who are excellent communicators.
“Sanford is proud to be recognized by Money as one of the best pediatric hospitals in the country, as it is a true indication of the dedication and talents of our pediatric care team,” said Melanie Rusche, vice president of operations for women’s and children’s services at Sanford Health in Sioux Falls. “We work every day to provide high-quality, compassionate care to children as they grow from newborns to young adults. We are committed to keeping our youngest patients comfortable by creating a healing environment that focuses on letting kids be kids.”
Money created their list of the top 75 pediatric hospitals based on the following criteria:
High-quality facilities: Money looked at facilities that have received either a four- or five-star quality rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The CMS rating is based on five key factors: mortality, safety, re-admission, patience experience, and timely and effective care. Each facility’s ranking contributed to 45% of their total score.
Pediatric expertise: High-performing doctors and providers were identified based on their level of experience with certain procedures. To be measured by pediatric experience, and considered for this specialty list, facilities must have active pediatric specialists on staff. These pediatric specialty factors comprise 45% of a hospital’s score.
Quality care: The remaining 10% of the score accounts for designations and accolades that indicate a hospital’s focus on providing quality care. These include a childhood asthma certification from the Joint Commission as well as quality care awards from the American Nursing Credentialing Center and the Emergency Nurses Association.
Earlier this year, Sanford USD Medical Center was recognized as the No. 1 hospital in South Dakota by U.S. News & World Report and was named to Newsweek’s America’s Best Maternity Hospitals 2024 list.
For more information about pediatric care services at Sanford Health, visit SanfordHealth.org keyword: pediatrics.