MADERA, Calif. – For the 11th straight year, Valley Children’s has been named a Best Children’s Hospital by U.S. News & World Report, earning national recognition for excellence in pediatric neuroscience care for 2026-2027.
Valley Children’s neurology and neurosurgery programs ranked among the top 50 pediatric neurology and neurosurgery programs in the nation in U.S. News & World Report’s 2026-2027 Best Children’s Hospitals rankings.
“It’s a great recognition of an extraordinary clinical program that, in fact, has outcomes that exceed what we would expect in the state and nationally,” said Valley Children’s Healthcare President and CEO Todd Suntrapak. “What our team does for these kids is extraordinary, and I couldn’t be more proud of them.”
The recognition highlights Valley Children’s commitment to delivering nationally recognized pediatric specialty care for children with neurological conditions, including complex disorders requiring advanced medical and surgical treatment.
“I’ve always said that we cannot afford to just be any pediatric hospital, we need to provide care that is the best of the best,” said Dr. Cesar Santos, medical director of neurosciences at Valley Children’s. “Being honored in the top 50 neuroscience programs in the country says that we are accomplishing that.”
For the 2026-2027 rankings, U.S. News partnered with research firm RTI International to collect and analyze data from 114 children’s hospitals and surveyed thousands of pediatric specialists.
Hospitals receiving a “Best” designation demonstrated excellence in clinical outcomes, adherence to established best practices, and the quality of resources and services directly supporting patient care.
U.S News says the rankings can help parents, in consultation with their children’s doctors, identify leading pediatric hospitals for serious illnesses, complex medical conditions and high-stakes surgical procedures.
“Earning a place on U.S. News’ Best Children’s Hospitals list is a testament to Valley Children’s dedication to clinical excellence and patient safety,” said Ben Harder, chief of health analysis and managing editor at U.S. News. “These rankings highlight the standout hospitals in each specialty and each region.”
The full 2026-2027 Best Children’s Hospitals rankings can be found at USNews.com.
Valley Children’s remains one of the nation’s leading providers of pediatric neuroscience care, offering comprehensive neurology and neurosurgery services for infants, children and adolescents across Central California and beyond. The neuroscience department at Valley Children’s includes neurology, neurotesting, neurosurgery, neuropsychology and neuro-oncology programs.
To learn more about the pediatric neurology and neurosurgery services available at Valley Children’s Hospital, click here.
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