I normally don’t put much stock in the magazine’s best-of ratings, but I’ve heard enough praise of Children’s Hospital to buy this one:

Parents Magazine ranked St. Louis Children’s Hospital is among the top 5 pediatric hospitals in the United States. The magazine surveys 100 pediatric hospitals across the country.
St. Louis Children’s Hospital’s #5 ranking is the highest overall for the hospital since the survey began in 2001. St. Louis Children’s is the only hospital in Missouri, Illinois and the surrounding eight-state region to make the list. Four of the hospital’s specialty services achieved top five status in individual reports conducted by the magazine:

Newborn medicine and orthopedics each ranked #3;

Pulmonary medicine and emergency medicine ranked #4;

and cardiac services ranked # 6.

All surveyed hospitals are members of the National Association of Children’s Hospitals and Related institutions (NACHRI). Hospitals are ranked on their responses to detailed questions in the following areas: pediatric heart disease and other critical conditions; experience in performing certain complex procedures; survival rates for childhood cancer; research programs; safeguards to prevent medical errors; staffing ratios and quality; waiting times in the emergency department; community outreach; and services that address the emotional needs of sick children and their families.
The survey is conducted and released every two years. St. Louis Children’s Hospital ranked #7 in the last survey published by Child magazine in 2007. The complete rankings can be viewed online at www.parentsmag.com.