Golisano Children’s Hospital Earns National Recognition in Four Pediatric Specialties

UR Medicine’s Golisano Children’s Hospital has once again been recognized among the nation’s best in the 2025–2026 U.S. News & World Report Best Children’s Hospitals rankings, earning distinction in four specialties.

The rankings, released October 7, placed GCH in:

• Neonatology – #45
• Neurology and Neurosurgery – #41
• Pediatric Cancer – #42
• Pediatric and Adolescent Behavioral Health – Top 50

This marks the third consecutive year Neonatology has been ranked, and the second straight year for Pediatric and Adolescent Behavioral Health. Pediatric Cancer was recognized for the second time in three years, while Neurology and Neurosurgery earned a national ranking for the first time since 2017.

“We are honored that Golisano Children’s Hospital continues to be recognized among the best in the nation across multiple specialties,” said Jill Halterman, MD, MPH, physician-in-chief of Golisano Children’s Hospital. “These rankings reflect the commitment of our outstanding clinicians and staff, who work every day to provide exceptional care for children and families throughout our region and beyond. I am incredibly proud of our teams for their dedication to advancing pediatric health and helping every child reach their full potential.”

Neonatology

The Division of Neonatology provides care at the University of Rochester’s Golisano Children’s Hospital 68-bed Level IV NICU and at Rochester General Hospital’s 14-bed Level II SCN. The University is the perinatal center for the Finger Lakes Region of New York State, with a catchment area of 1.2 million, and the NICU admits 1,200 newborns each year.

The division consists of 26 neonatologists, several pediatricians, and five tenure-track PhD laboratory investigators. Faculty hold a variety of federally funded grants and contracts, including several multicenter grants. The division has been recognized as one of the nation’s best by U.S. News & World Report for six of the last eight years.

“This recognition reflects the exceptional dedication and expertise of our entire team,” said Hitesh Deshmukh, MD, chief of the Division of Neonatology. “Our nurses, faculty, and staff consistently deliver outstanding care to our smallest and most vulnerable patients. I also want to acknowledge the tremendous foundation built by our previous chief, Dr. Carl D’Angio, whose leadership helped establish our reputation for excellence. This achievement belongs to everyone who contributes to our mission of providing the highest quality neonatal care.”

Pediatric Cancer

The Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, as part of Golisano Children’s Hospital and the Wilmot Cancer Institute, provides care for children, adolescents, and young adults with cancer, blood disorders, bone marrow failure, and congenital immune deficiencies. Wilmot is a National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated cancer center, giving families access to the latest research-driven therapies and clinical trials.

The division strives to improve the prevention and treatment of childhood cancers as well as the management of long-term complications of therapy through clinical and laboratory research. In addition, the team develops clinical research programs for stem cell transplantation, including regimens for malignant and nonmalignant disorders such as sickle cell disease and immune deficiencies.

“We are thrilled to be among the top 50 U.S. News & World Report Pediatric Hematology/Oncology programs in the U.S., as this represents the high level of expertise and care our team delivers for every patient here in Upstate NY,” said Jamie Flerlage, MD, MS, chief of the Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology. “We have grown tremendously over the last few years and look forward to continuing this trend as part of a new NCI-designated cancer center. Our goal is to treat the whole patient from the day they walk in the door and for the rest of their lives to ensure they not only survive, but thrive.”

“As part of our NCI-designated cancer institute, the Pediatric Hematology/Oncology team provides outstanding and compassionate care to children with cancer across our large catchment area,” says Jonathan W. Friedberg, MD, MMSc, director of Wilmot Cancer Institute. “Under the leadership of Dr. Flerlage, the team is dedicated to ensuring all patients have access to tomorrow’s treatments today through clinical trials and other research efforts currently underway at Wilmot. They are most deserving of this national recognition.”

Pediatric and Adolescent Behavioral Health

The Pediatric and Adolescent Behavioral Health category recognizes the achievements of several divisions at GCH, including the divisions of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, and Adolescent Medicine.

Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at UR Medicine is the largest provider of ambulatory children’s mental health services, the region’s only child and adolescent psychiatry inpatient unit, and the only adolescent partial hospital program in Western New York. The division’s ambulatory services include two large clinic sites and satellites in pediatric primary care and pediatric specialty offices, as well as in public schools throughout the region. The division also operates the Brighter Days Pediatric Mental Health Urgent Care Center, the only service of this type in Upstate New York.

The Division of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics (DBP) provides clinical care, teaching, research, and community programming for children, adolescents, and their families with a wide range of developmental and behavioral disorders. The DBP team is the largest program in Upstate New York offering comprehensive care to children with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including autism, intellectual disability, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, and cerebral palsy. The multidisciplinary team includes developmental-behavioral pediatricians, psychologists, registered dietitians, pediatric nurse practitioners, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, pediatric social workers, and others. With a $50 million grant from Tom Golisano for the Golisano IDD Institute, the Division of DBP is positioned for further expansion in coming years.

The Division of Adolescent Medicine provides specialty inpatient and outpatient medical services for 12 to 25 year-olds. The Adolescent Medicine interprofessional team is the largest in Upstate New York, designing and implementing innovative clinical programs for teens and young adults in the areas of eating disorders, care of LGBTQ+ teens and young adults, reproductive healthcare, and transitioning medical care to adult providers.

Pediatric Neurology

The Division of Child Neurology at GCH provides care for children and adolescents across Upstate New York with neurologic conditions of all kinds, including headaches, seizures and epilepsy, movement disorders, neuromuscular diseases, functional neurologic disorders, neuroimmunologic disorders, and rare neurogenetic conditions. The team is comprised of 12 pediatric neurologists, five pediatric epilepsy specialists, five advanced practice providers, a dedicated neuropsychologist, a registered dietitian supporting the ketogenic diet, and a strong group of research, administrative, and support personnel.

The division partners closely with the Department of Neurosurgery to provide cutting-edge therapies in the treatment of pediatric focal epilepsy, hydrocephalus, and brain tumors. The team also works closely with Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics and Behavioral Health Integration to support children of all ages and abilities in their neurologic and general well-being.

Several active research programs focus on rare diseases such as Tuberous Sclerosis, Batten Disease, and muscular dystrophies, with ongoing clinical trials in therapeutics for several rare epilepsy syndromes. Each year, the division offers three child neurology residency positions and fellowship training programs in Neurogenetics, Pediatric Movement, Neonatal Neurology, and Pediatric Epilepsy.

“Our team is always working to improve the quality of life of all kids in our region with neurologic disorders and to provide the highest quality and state-of-the-art neurologic care to all who need it,” said Inna Hughes, MD, PhD, interim chief of the Division of Child Neurology.