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Chicago's Northwestern Memorial Hospital is the best in the state for the fifth year in a row and among the top 10 in the country, according to U.S. News & World Report rankings released Tuesday. U.S. News ranked Rush University Medical Center, also in Chicago, second in the state. University of Chicago Medical Center earned third place. (Schencker, 8/2)

For the first time in its 27-year history of healthcare rankings, U.S. News & World Report has listed a Colorado hospital on its Best Hospitals Honor Roll — a list of the top hospitals in the country. The University of Colorado Hospital muscled its way onto the 20th and final spot on the list, distinguishing itself among 5,000 hospitals considered nationally. (Wenzel, 8/2)

Boston hospitals are among the best in the nation overall and in several specialty areas, according to the newest rankings from U.S. News and World Report. In the magazine's overall ranking of the best hospitals, two Boston facilities make the top 20 list. Massachusetts General Hospital ranked No. 3 and Brigham and Women's Hospital ranked No. 13. But for cancer treatment, in particular, the Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center is ranked No. 4. Massachusetts General earned the top ranking in adult psychiatry and a fourth-place ranking in the nation for cardiology and heart surgery. (8/2)

The Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville is ranked the top hospital in metro Jacksonville and is tied for first among Florida hospitals in U.S. News & World Report’s annual evaluation of hospitals, released online Tuesday. (Patton, 8/2)

The Medical University of South Carolina was again named the top hospital in the state by U.S. News and World Report. Five specialities at MUSC, including cancer, gynecology and urology, also ranked nationally among the best programs in the United States. “These rankings reflect not just reputation but patient outcomes, teaching the next generation of care providers, developing new innovations to improve health, and health care leadership,” said Dr. Patrick Cawley, CEO of Medical University Hospital, in a prepared statement. (Sausser, 8/2)

For the fifth straight year, St. Francis Hospital ranked highest among Long Island hospitals on the U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals list, released Tuesday. In its 27th annual survey of nearly 5,000 hospitals, St. Francis was ranked fifth in the metropolitan area, which includes New York City, Long Island, Westchester County and northern New Jersey. The hospital was ranked sixth in the region last year. (Uda, 8/2)

It’s hospital ratings season in America, that time of year when marketing executives kick it into high gear to trumpet — and spin — the way their hospitals are graded by outside organizations. This year, their workload has been especially heavy. In addition to annual rankings released Tuesday by U.S. News & World Report, the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) just released its star-rating system for hospitals nationwide. While the ratings offer some valuable information to consumers, here’s why you shouldn’t put too much stock in the results. (Ross, 8/2)

Community Health Systems posted an eye-popping $1.43 billion loss from continuing operations in the second quarter as the hospital giant took a noncash write-down of goodwill of its assets, the company announced Tuesday.The $1.43 billion, or $12.90 per share, loss compared with a profit of $117 million, or $1.01 per share, for the same period last year. (Barkholz, 8/2)

UCF is looking for a partner to build a teaching hospital in Lake Nona next to the medical school, officials said Tuesday. The plan still has to be approved by the university’s Board of Trustees later this week, but Dr. Deborah German, founding dean of the medical school, said the timing is right to put the wheels in motion. (Miller, 8/2)