Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU among top in U.S.

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- The Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU ranks among the top in the U.S. for pediatric care again, according to new data from U.S. News & World Report.

The publication's 2025-26 Best Children's Hospitals rankings were released Tuesday morning on Oct. 6, with the Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU landing among the top 50 hospitals in eight of the 11 ranked subspecialties.

It also made the top 10 children’s hospitals in the Mid-Atlantic region, which includes seven states and the District of Columbia.

“Rankings are tied to the safety, outcomes and experiences in the care provided by our talented teams. These rankings reflect the very high level of comprehensive care that Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU provides to children and their families,” said VCU President Michael Rao.

“Providing the best care coupled with research that leads to new treatments, stronger outcomes and saving more lives, CHoR is a national leader in pediatric health. Our congratulations and heartfelt thanks go to everyone on our CHoR team who makes excellent care of our youngest patients and their families possible," continued Rao.

The Best Children's Hospital rankings are reportedly designed to help parents, caregivers and medical professionals find specialized care for children with serious illnesses or more intricate special needs, per the university.

The results come from U.S. News, with RTI International, a North Carolina-based research firm, after analysis of 118 children's hospitals, as well as surveys of pediatric specialists.

“These rankings are driven by the quality and safety of the care provided to children,” said Matthew Schefft, DO, associate chief quality and safety officer at CHoR. “The data reflects that when families seek care at CHoR, they receive the safe, high quality, coordinated care they expect and deserve. It’s a promise we make and stand by every day.”

The U.S. News has also ranked eight of the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU's specialties, including the following:

• Nephrology (No. 28)
• Pulmonology & lung surgery (No. 36)
• Urology (No. 36)
• Cancer (No. 39)
• Neurology & neurosurgery (No. 40)
• Neonatology (No. 43)
• Diabetes & endocrinology (No. 45)
• Gastroenterology (No. 50)

According to the university, this is the hospital's 11th time ranking in nephrology, with one stepmother of a 10-year-old girl battling medulloblastoma, a form of brain cancer, calling the hospital's team "incredible." 

“They have been with us through every surgery, treatment and follow-up appointment," she said. "They’ve celebrated Emma’s progress and supported us through the hard days. We have never felt alone in this journey.”