Where would you send your most difficult cases for mental health and substance abuse services? Posed to a random sample of 200 physicians across the United States, that question landed the 112-bed The Brook Hospital (formerly known as Ten Broeck Hospital) in the listing of hospitals considered for U.S. News and World Report’s (U.S. News) annual “Best Hospitals” ranking.

The facility was among 170 psychiatric hospitals that made the final cut for consideration based solely on reputation. Physicians were asked to list five hospitals they considered to be among the best in their specialty for difficult cases, without taking into account cost or location. The final cut came from data gathered over a three-year period from 2006 through 2008.

“We are honored and proud to be recognized as one of the top 170 psychiatric facilities to participate in this review,” said CEO John Hollinsworth. “We firmly believe that the trust and respect placed in The Brook by our referral partners is a direct result of our positive clinical outcomes and high patient and family satisfaction rates.”

Operating a full continuum of mental health and substance abuse treatment services on an inpatient and outpatient basis, The Brook Hospital is known for its success with numerous specialized treatment tracks over a multi-state regional area covering such areas as The Recovery House for men – a chemical dependency residential program, adolescent chemical dependency, eating disorders in adolescent females and military post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Hollinsworth added.

This year marked the 19^th review completed by U.S. News, where 5,453 hospitals were put through a rigorous statistical mill and ranked according to 16 specialties covering areas such as cancer, heart disease, respiratory disorders and psychiatry. Twelve of the 16 specialty rankings were driven largely by hard data based on the organization’s mortality index and surveys completed by the American Hospital Association. Because mortality data is not a relevant measure for ophthalmology, psychiatry, rehabilitation, and rheumatology, these hospitals were ranked by reputation alone for treating difficult cases in their respective specialties.

“We have earned the respect of physicians and clinicians in our industry because of our referral communication process,” Hollinsworth emphasized, adding that this process enables referring physicians to be involved with their patients at appropriate levels during treatment and receive admission and discharge information in a timely manner. “We truly try to live out our mission statement to provide excellent care and customer service that will improve quality of life in a measurable way. It is gratifying to see the dedication of our physicians and staff come under national recognition.”

Out of the more than 1,400 inpatient admissions the facility achieves each year, approximately 60% of the referrals come from private practice physicians  and physicians affiliated with other healthcare organizations. Alongside a strong physician and clinician referral base, the hospital also works closely with such high-profile corporate groups as Ford Motor Company and UPS, according to Hollinsworth.

For this latest analysis and ranking by U.S. News, the random sample of 200 physicians was drawn from the American Board of Medical Specialties. The 2008 "Best Hospitals" rankings were produced by RTI International, a leading research organization based in Research Triangle Park, N.C.

Established in 1985, The Brook Hospital is a freestanding facility located in Louisville, KY, offering a full continuum of inpatient and partial hospitalization services alongside outpatient services for children, adolescents and adults. Through a multidisciplinary team of highly trained physicians, psychologists, social workers, addiction counselors, nurses and activity therapists, the hospital partners with local hospitals, educational institutions and community agencies to be a leader in providing quality mental health and substance abuse treatment services. The Brook Hospital is owned by Nashville-based Psychiatric Solutions, Inc. and has a sister facility also located in Louisville under the same name.