KANSAS CITY, Kan. — The University of Kansas Hospital was rated "excellent" in six of 16 specialty areas by the 2011 U.S. News & World Reports in rankings released today.

KU Hospital was among 140 facilities nationwide — less than 3 percent of the 4,825 analyzed — that were ranked in even one of the categories.

The hospital's rankings were:

• Pulmonology — 29th out of 1,622 hospitals ranked,

• Ear, Nose and Throat — 31st out of 1,409,

• Gastroenterology — 35th out of 1,516,

• Nephrology (Kidney specialty) — 37th out of 1,614,

• Cardiology and Heart Surgery — 39th out of 685, and

• Cancer — 44th out of 870.

It was also rated "high performing" in six other specialty areas:

• Diabetes and Endocrinology

• Geriatrics

• Gynecology

• Neurology and Neurosurgery

• Orthopedics

• Urology

The national cancer ranking comes just two months before officials at the University of Kansas Cancer Center plan to submit the application for National Cancer Institute designation.

“We know our patient care for cancer is at a high level now and it is gratifying to be nationally recognized for it," said Bob Page, the hospital's chief executive officer. "Our just completed merger with Kansas City Cancer Center and the emphasis on early phase clinical trials associated with our pursuit of NCI designation will push our program to even greater heights.”

It is the fifth year in a row that the cardiology and heart surgery program has been ranked by the magazine.

For the second year in a row, the hospital was also named the top hospital in the Kansas City metropolitan region.