Burlington, VT – Despite challenges including a sharply rising number of children and families experiencing homelessness and average outcomes around nutrition, physical activity and obesity for kids, Vermont has been recognized as among the best in the nation for children’s health, according to an analysis published earlier this year by a personal finance company.  

What propelled the state to among the nation’s leaders for children’s health? Access to pediatric care and a high rate of children covered by health insurance, among other factors, said the company Wallethub in a nationwide evaluation published earlier this year. 

Last year, University of Vermont Children’s Hospital and its pediatric providers served tens of thousands of children and families, according to its annual report. More than 31,000 pediatric patients were cared for at UVM Children’s Hospital’s Children’s Specialty Center; more than 19,000 pediatric patients were cared for through primary care visits; and the hospital provided 28,000 well child visits – preventative health appointments where providers screen kids for medical problems, provide parents and families with health and wellness guidance, ensure children are up-to-date with their immunizations, and monitor their overall growth and development. 

“As the only full-service children’s hospital serving our region, it is important to make sure all children have access to primary care, subspecialty and critical care services,” said Lewis R. First, MD, chief of pediatrics at University of Vermont Children’s Hospital. “That is exactly what we strive to do in providing the highest quality child-friendly family centered care possible. We are fortunate to have a dedicated team of talented physicians, nurses and staff who value the special relationship with our patients and families and the importance of caring and community – that is the key factor in why our health outcomes are ranked so high.” 

Awards and recognition 

Care quality and access to primary and specialty care at UVM Children’s Hospital have earned numerous awards and recognitions over the past year. Perhaps the most notable came from the March of Dimes, which awarded the hospital an ‘A’ grade for perinatal services – making Vermont the only state to achieve an ‘A’ ranking in 2024 and setting a new benchmark for maternal and infant health across the United States. 

UVM Children’s hospital was also named among America’s Best Maternity Hospitals by Newsweek; received an endorsement from the American Diabetes Association recognizing its Pediatric Diabetes clinic for outstanding self-management, education and support services; earned the Press-Ganey Human Experience Guardians of Excellence Award, which places it among the top 5% of hospitals nationwide for patient experience; and received the 2024 KidsSafe Collaborative Award for Outstanding Collaboration for its Child Safe Program. That award comes from a group of more than 30 organizations dedicated to the prevention of child abuse and neglect in our region. 

Understanding the rankings 

For its list, Wallethub compared 50 states and the District of Columbia across three dimensions: kids’ health and access to health care, kids nutrition, physical activity and obesity, and kids oral health. The company, in an explanation of its methodology, used 33 weighted metrics that include death rates, vaccination rates, the percentage of children with health insurance, out-of-pocket costs for doctor’s visits and the number of pediatricians, family doctors and children’s hospitals per capita. 

Each external rating organization takes its own approach, with some using more complete and up-to-date measures than others. The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) star ratings are often viewed as the gold standard, but even these rely on data that can be several years old, creating a lag between performance and published results. That can sometimes lead to ratings that do not reflect progress that has been made in certain areas. However, taken together with other research, external ratings can provide one view of care quality, cost and, in this case, statewide health outcomes for a particular demographic of patients.  

More on UVM Children’s Hospital  

The hospital’s medical staff includes more than 90 pediatric specialists across 34 areas of specialty pediatric care. From resources dedicated to caring for critically ill infants to services that promote healthy growth and development of all children. 

UVM Children’s Hospital also provides pediatric intensive care to more than 300 children per year via its Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, runs a 29-bed, 24/7 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and provides care in support of more than 2,000 births per year. 

In 2022, the hospital established a Pediatric Advanced Care Team (PACT) to enhance its care of children with serious, life-limiting illnesses. Serving patients and families across Vermont and northern New York, the team collaborates with parents and providers from labor-delivery through home and hospice care, providing support and assistance navigating complex medical situations. 

“The close collaboration between community hospitals and our perinatal services – both obstetrical and high-risk newborn – are what enable us to standardize our care and quality processes and standards to result in the positive outcomes we achieve,” said Dr. First. “At the same time, making sure families are part of the shared decisions-making truly exemplifies our family-centered care approach to high-quality care for all pediatric patients.