LITTLE ROCK - U.S. News & World Report has ranked Arkansas Children's Hospital in five specialties in the new 2019-20 Best Children's Hospitals rankings published online.

The state's only pediatric health system is proud to have the following programs ranked among the national list:

• Cardiology & Heart Surgery
• Neurology & Neurosurgery
• Nephrology
• Orthopedics
• Pulmonology

The 13th annual Best Children's Hospitals rankings recognize the top 50 pediatric facilities across the U.S. in 10 pediatric specialties: cancer, cardiology and heart surgery, diabetes and endocrinology, gastroenterology and gastrointestinal surgery, neonatology, nephrology, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopedics, pulmonology and lung surgery, and urology.

U.S. News introduced the Best Children's Hospitals rankings in 2007 to help families of children with rare or life-threatening illnesses find the best medical care available. The rankings are the most comprehensive source of quality-related information on U.S. pediatric hospitals.

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

This year's rankings will be published in U.S. News & World Report's "Best Hospitals 2020" guidebook.