Orlando Health Receives “Best Children’s Hospital” Designation, Nationally Ranked in 7 Specialties
Neonatology program ranked best in Florida
Orlando, FL (Sept. 15, 2026) – – Orlando Health Children’s Arnold Palmer Hospital and Orlando Health Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies have been recognized as Best Children’s Hospitals for 2026-2027 by U.S. News & World Report. The rankings assist parents of children with rare or life-threatening illnesses and their doctors in choosing the right hospital for them.
Tied for the #3 spot in Florida and #9 in the southeast region, Orlando Health was awarded with national designations in seven specialties:
#18 Pediatric Diabetes and Endocrinology
#24 Pediatric Orthopedics
#28 Neonatology (highest in the state of Florida)
#37 Pediatric Neurology and Neurosurgery
#42 Pediatric Nephrology
#42 Pediatric Pulmonology and Lung Surgery
Top 50 Pediatric Behavioral Health
Trusted by families for decades, Orlando Health Children’s Arnold Palmer Hospital provides award-winning children’s care in more than 30 specialties and is Central Florida’s only Level One Pediatric Trauma Center. Orlando Health also recently opened the Orlando Health Children’s Pavilion, the region's first and only advanced facility to provide comprehensive, compassionate and specialized pediatric care.
“Being named a Best Children’s Hospital for the 17th consecutive year is an incredible honor, and a testament to the exceptional care our team provides across numerous pediatric specialties,” said Justin Williams, president, Orlando Health Children’s Arnold Palmer Hospital. “Our leading experts treat the most complex conditions and work tirelessly to advance innovative therapies and surgical care. We are proud to be a trusted destination for children and families, delivering world-class care that improves lives and helps shape healthier futures.”
U.S. News, together with RTI International, a North Carolina-based research and consulting firm, collected and analyzed data from children’s hospitals and surveyed thousands of pediatric specialists. Children’s hospitals awarded a “Best” designation excelled at factors such as clinical outcomes, level and quality of hospital resources directly related to patient care and expert opinion among pediatric specialists.
“Our littlest patients often face some of the biggest challenges, so to be recognized as the top neonatology program in Florida by U.S. News is a tremendous testament to our dedicated physicians, nurses and care teams,” said Anjali Vyas, MD, president of Orlando Health Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies. “It’s a great honor to deliver exceptional neonatal care every day to give fragile newborns the strongest possible start and help provide hope to families when they need it most.”
About Orlando Health
Orlando Health is a private not-for-profit, integrated academic healthcare system with $15 billion of assets under management, that serves the southeastern United States – including Florida and Alabama – and Puerto Rico. With corporate offices in Orlando, Florida the system provides a complete continuum of care across a network of medical centers and institutes, community and specialty hospitals, physician practices, urgent care facilities, skilled nursing facilities, home healthcare, and long-term and behavioral health care services. Founded more than 100 years ago, Orlando Health’s mission is to improve the health and the quality of life of the individuals and communities we serve. The system provided nearly $2 billion in community impact in the form of community benefit programs and services, Medicare shortfalls, bad debt, community-building activities and capital investments in FY 24, the most recent period for which the information is available. For more information, visit orlandohealth.com, or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and X.
