knowledge, and success rate? John Hopkins in Maryland ~~ OR ~~ Emory in Atlanta ?? And, overall a better hospital?
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Answer`s (1):
1. Mags
Interesting question. Please consider this a draft answer - it is not my final answer.

Why did you choose these two institutions?

The stereotactic surgery we know as deep brain stimulation is one of several types of Parkinson's disease surgeries. DBS, thalamotomies pallidotomies are also included. Eventually spinal stimulation will be added.

Since my husband has PD, we are somewhat familiar with what is going on in PD research, the approach of various institutions and the ones to watch.

I am not sure of the number of DBS surgeries performed at Emory and I realize how crucial it is to have an experienced team performing the surgery and more importantly the adjustments which follow. But there is fascinating PD research at Emory.

Many of these surgeries have been performed at Johns Hopkins, not all for Parkinson's disease. But if my husband ever progressed to the stage when he drastically needed the surgery and would consent to it (which he won't because at this point it is not state of the art and because cognitive and speaking skills are at risk of becoming worse and not better with DBS) he would probably opt for Emory if these were the only two choices...which they aren't.

Of course the fact that our daughter lives a few hours outside Atlanta, GA might influence this quasi decision but I don't think so.

There are highly skilled surgeons at Hopkins who perform brain mapping which is crucial to success of DBS surgery. And my knee jerk reaction would be to go with Johns Hopkins. If someone asked me as you did, I would want more specifics before giving a final answer.

Why Emory? I know that both Johns Hopkins and Emory University are Morris K Udall Centers of Excellence for Parkinson's Disease Research. I know that Johns Hopkins has been on the charts for years longer than Emory and in an impressive number of ways. But from the research projects underway at Emory, they just speak to our way of thinking. And that is very important to us.

When looking at US hospital rankings for 2010, it is important to remember that you must look at the specific condition to use the rankings. It is also important to take them *** grano salis.

This is the US News and World Report 2010-2011 ranking:
Cancer: University of Texas, Memorial Sloan-Kettering, Mayo Clinic (MN)
Diabetes & Endocrinology: Mayo Clinic (MN) Massachusetts General, Johns Hopkins
ENT: Johns Hopkins, Massachusetts General, University of Pittsburgh
Gastroenterology: Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Johns Hopkins
Geriatricss: Mount Sinai Med Center, Ronald regan UCLA Med Center, Johns HopkinsGynecologygy: Johns Hopkins, Mayo Clinic (MN) Brigham and Women's Hospital (Boston)
Heart and Heart Surgery: Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic (MN), Johns Hopkins
Kidney Disorders: Mayo Clinic (MN), Johns Hopkins, Cleveland Clinic
Neurology & Neurosurgery: Johns Hopkins, Mayo Clinic (MN), Massachusetts GeneralOphthalmologygy: Bascom Palmer Eye Inst. at U/Miami, Johns Hopkins, Wills Eye Hosp-Philadelphia
Orthopedics: Hospital for Special Surgery (NY, NY) Mayo Clinic (MNMassachusettsts General
Psychiatry: Massachusetts General, Johns Hopkins, McLean Hospital (MA)
Pulmonology: National Jewish Health (Denver), Mayo Clinic (MN), Cleveland Clinic
Rehabilitation: Rehab. Inst of Chicago, Kessler Inst for Rehab(NJ) U of Washington Med Ctr (Seattle)
Rheumatology: Johns Hopkins, Cleveland Clinic, Hospital for Special Surgery (NY, NY)
Urology: Johns Hopkins, Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic MN)

As you can see for the top 3 hospital rankings for the different departments, Emory does not appear and Johns Hopkins is ranked high in several. Logically, most people would pick Johns Hopkins. But of course the Cleveland Clinic is right up there in the right categories and is much closer to us. So I repeat my question to you, why these two facilities?