Virginia Commonwealth University

Departments, docs draw rave reviews

The VCU Medical Center kicked off 2011 with a Richmond metro area No. 1 designation in U.S. News & World Report’s 2011-12 Best Hospitals rankings, and the nod set the tone for another strong showing in the publication’s annual national specialty distinctions, as the Division of Nephrology in the Department of Internal Medicine earned a spot in the top 50 in the country. In each of the prior two years, the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation received top 20 billing, and since 2007, the medical center has garnered top 50 standings in heart and heart surgery, kidney disease, orthopaedics, and cancer treatment.

With seven Consumer Choice Awards over the past decade, as well as numerous other distinctions from such diverse organizations as The Joint Commission, Thomson Reuters and Working Mother magazine, the medical center has cemented its status as Virginia’s top provider of quality health care and workplace excellence.

Of course, national accolades depend on top-notch providers, and the 2011 Top Docs survey printed in April’s Richmond magazine has shown medical center physicians to be at the top of their game. The survey asked local physicians whom they would recommend in a range of specialties from 53 categories and listed 110 full-time medical center physicians, with seven appearing in more than one category.

In addition, three standouts were recognized individually as “local medical heroes” by the magazine: Christopher Kogut, M.D., assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry, was lauded for his volunteer work at the Fan Free Clinic in Richmond; Richard Hubbard, a second-year medical student in the School of Medicine, earned the honor for his dedication to helping the impoverished in Bangladesh; and Barton Bobb, FNP, ACHPN, of the VCU Massey Cancer Center, was named this year’s top nurse practitioner.