Intermountain Health Primary Children's Hospitals has once again earned national rankings in all 11 pediatric specialties evaluated by U.S. News & World Report in its 2026-27 list of Best Children's Hospitals rankings, released Sept. 15, 2026. The three-campus system, which includes locations in Salt Lake City, Lehi, and Taylorsville, has achieved this distinction for the third consecutive year through a partnership with University of Utah Health.
### Expansion of Top 25 Programs
The 2026-27 rankings indicate growth in the number of specialties recognized among the nation's top 25 programs. The system increased its count of top 25 specialties from six last year to seven this year. Notably, pediatric neonatology and cancer care joined the top 25 list for the first time, ranking at No. 19 and No. 20, respectively.
In addition to the top 25 entries, the hospitals received top 50 national recognition in four other specialties. These include gastroenterology and GI surgery at No. 27, diabetes and endocrinology at No. 30, and pulmonology and lung surgery at No. 40. The system also received a top 50 designation for behavioral health, a category for which U.S. News currently does not assign specific numerical rankings.
### Leading National Rankings
According to the rankings, the system's highest-rated programs are orthopedics and cardiology & heart surgery, both of which hold the No. 11 national ranking. Other high-performing specialties include neurology & neurosurgery at No. 12, urology at No. 15, and nephrology at No. 17.
The performance of the hospitals reflects a culture of continuous improvement and collaboration among caregivers, physicians, researchers, and community partners, according to Angelo P. Giardino, MD, chair of the University of Utah School of Medicine's Department of Pediatrics and chief medical officer of Intermountain Children's Health. Dr. Giardino noted that the collaboration helps recruit some of the nation's best physicians to the teams and improves outcomes for children.
### Commitment to Pediatric Care
Mandy Richards, Intermountain Health chief nursing executive and president of Intermountain Children's Health, stated that being recognized in all 11 pediatric specialty categories reflects the dedication of caregivers and the trust families place in the system. Richards noted that the honor represents the expertise, innovation, collaboration, and compassion across Intermountain Children's Health.
Dustin Lipson, president of Intermountain Health Primary Children's Hospital, Salt Lake Campus, credited the partnership between Intermountain Health and University of Utah Health with fueling meaningful progress in research and expanding the breadth of services available to children. The hospitals serve patients from a seven-state region and continue to advance pediatric medicine through advanced therapies and multidisciplinary care.
### Regional Impact and Reach
The Intermountain Primary Children's Hospitals system provides specialized care through three campuses located in Salt Lake City, Lehi, and Taylorsville. The Lehi campus is situated at 2250 N. Miller Campus Drive, serving families in the Alpine, Highland, and Cedar Hills areas.
While Primary Children's achieved high rankings across all evaluated specialties, it was not among the eleven hospitals selected for the U.S. News honor-roll. The 2026-27 rankings, which are now in their 20th year, recognized 90 hospitals nationally as top performers.
### Future Outlook
The annual rankings by U.S. News & World Report are expected to return next year for the 2027-28 cycle. The current rankings highlight the ongoing innovation in fields such as cancer treatment, congenital heart care, neonatal medicine, transplantation, cell and gene therapies, and pediatric surgery.
