“In 1751, Benjamin Franklin co-founded America’s first public hospital in Philadelphia. Today, the City of Brotherly Love stays true to that history, scoring high for hospital quality and availability of highly rated specialists. Meanwhile, residents can take independent steps toward better population health by improving lifestyle habits like regular exercise and maintaining a normal weight.”
The Healthgrades rankings came out about the same time the Philadelphia Department of Public Health issued its own report that found in some city neighborhoods residents have limited access to basic primary care. The health department study found the shortage was most severe in the Far Northeast and southwest sections of the city, with one primary-care provider for every 3,500 residents.
By John George
The Collected Works of Jim Garrow 