
UF Health Shands Hospital in Gainesville, Florida, is a highly regarded medical facility that has received recognition for its superior patient care and clinical outcomes. It is named after William A. Shands, a former Florida state senator who played a crucial role in securing funding for the establishment of a teaching hospital at the University of Florida. Shands Hospital has consistently ranked among the top hospitals in Florida and the nation, with particular strengths in pulmonology, lung surgery, pediatric specialties, and organ transplantation. While some may consider other medical centres for specific treatments or diagnoses, Shands' resources, expertise, and positive patient experiences make it a leading choice for comprehensive healthcare in the state.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | 1600 SW Archer Road, Gainesville, FL |
| Type | General medical and surgical facility |
| Ranking | Ranked among the top 50 out of 4855 hospitals |
| Specialty | Ranked in 7 adult and 5 pediatric specialties |
| Awards | America's 250 Best Hospitals Award, Patient Safety Excellence Award, America's 100 Best Hospitals for Critical Care Award, Pulmonary Care Excellence Award, America's 100 Best Hospitals for Gastrointestinal Surgery Award, America's 100 Best Hospitals for Stroke Care Award |
| Patient Recommendation | 77% |
| Trauma Centre | Level I trauma centre |
| Organ Transplant Centre | Leading organ transplant centre |
| Number of Beds | 1162 beds |
| Founder | William A. Shands |
| Year of Founding | 1958 |
| Affiliated University | University of Florida |
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What You'll Learn

Patient experiences at Shands
Several patients have shared their positive experiences at Shands, particularly highlighting the attentive and fantastic staff, as well as the hospital's honesty about their health conditions. One patient shared that the hospital "absolutely saved [their mother's] life", and that it was the attention to detail, great communication, and feeling of being in the best hands that made their experience positive.
Another patient who received a double lung transplant at Shands also had a good experience, stating that they were treated very well. Additionally, a parent shared their satisfaction with the support staff and physicians at Shands, where both their children were born.
As a teaching hospital, Shands has access to more resources than smaller community hospitals, which can be beneficial for more serious conditions. The hospital also provides free interpreters for patients and caregivers, offering services in over 200 languages, including American Sign Language.
In terms of rankings, Shands has been rated highly, including being named the second-best hospital in Florida in 2020 by the U.S. News & World Report. It has also been ranked among the top 50 out of 4,855 hospitals and is nationally ranked in 7 adult and 5 pediatric specialties.
However, it is important to note that online reviews of hospitals should be considered critically, as negative reviews may be written due to disappointment in medical outcomes, and people are more likely to write reviews when they have had a bad experience.
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Shands' ranking among other hospitals
The University of Florida Health Shands Hospital, also known as UF Health Shands Hospital, is a highly-ranked hospital in the United States. It is a general medical and surgical facility, as well as a teaching hospital. UF Health Shands Hospital has consistently been recognised as one of the top hospitals in Florida and the nation by U.S. News & World Report.
In 2020, UF Health Shands Hospital was ranked as the second-best hospital in Florida by U.S. News & World Report. The hospital was also ranked in seven adult specialties and five pediatric specialties. The adult specialties include urology (32nd), ear, nose, and throat (30th/32nd), neurology and neurosurgery (30th), pulmonology and lung surgery (37th), geriatrics (42nd), gynecology (45th), and cardiology and heart surgery (50th). The pediatric specialties include cardiology (top 10) and pulmonology (historically high ranking).
In addition to the specialty rankings, UF Health Shands Hospital has also been rated as high-performing in several procedures and conditions. These include abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, colon cancer surgery, knee replacement, lung cancer surgery, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart failure, heart attack, stroke, pneumonia, diabetes, and kidney failure. The hospital has also been recognised for its high-performing specialties, which are ranked among the top 10% nationally, including cancer, diabetes and endocrinology, gastroenterology and GI surgery, neurology and neurosurgery, and orthopaedics.
UF Health Shands Hospital is a Level I trauma centre and a leading organ transplant centre. It is also a destination hospital for patients not just in Florida but throughout the Southeast and the nation. The hospital has been praised for its talented medical caregivers and staff, as well as its dedication to providing excellent patient care.
While individual experiences may vary, overall, UF Health Shands Hospital is considered one of the top hospitals in the nation, with a strong presence in the U.S. News rankings for over a decade.
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Shands' specialties
UF Health Shands Hospital in Gainesville, Florida, is a general medical and surgical facility. It is a teaching hospital with more than 1,200 expert UF College of Medicine and community physicians, along with more than 9,000 skilled nursing and support staff. Shands provides comprehensive high-quality patient care, from primary care to the treatment of highly complex conditions. The hospital is also a leading organ transplant centre.
In 2020, Shands was ranked as the second-best hospital in Florida by US News & World Report, which ranked it in seven adult and five pediatric specialties. It was also ranked in the top 50 out of 4,855 hospitals. Shands' highest-ranked specialty is nephrology, ranked 25th nationally. Other specialties include diabetes and endocrinology (ranked 31st), geriatrics (42nd), gynaecology (35th), neurology and neurosurgery (36th), and pulmonology (34th).
Shands is also home to the UF Health Shands Children's Hospital, a pediatric acute care hospital with 208 beds. The Children's Hospital provides comprehensive pediatric specialties and subspecialties to pediatric patients aged 0-21 throughout Florida. It is also an ACS-verified Level I Pediatric Trauma Center.
The UF Health Shands Cancer Hospital, opened in 2017, is an academic cancer centre with 200 beds. The hospital focuses on producing laboratory findings that will be used for preventive cancer therapies. Shands also includes the UF Health Shands Psychiatric Hospital, which has 81 beds, and the UF Health Shands Rehab Hospital, which has 40 beds for patients recovering from strokes, traumatic injuries, and other conditions that interfere with daily life.
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Shands' history
The history of Shands Hospital can be traced back to the 1940s, when Florida state Senator William A. Shands was recruited to spearhead the creation of a teaching hospital in the Gainesville area. Initially, Shands considered that a larger city might be a more suitable site, but he was instrumental in obtaining state funding for the project.
In 1956, the University of Florida Colleges of Medicine and Nursing opened, followed by the UF Teaching Hospital in 1958. In recognition of Shands' efforts, the hospital was renamed the W. A. Shands Teaching Hospital and Clinics in 1965. It later became known simply as Shands Hospital, as part of the Shands HealthCare network.
Over the years, Shands Hospital has expanded significantly and now encompasses multiple campuses and specialty hospitals. In 1969, the UF College of Medicine established a satellite campus in Jacksonville at Duval Medical Center, which later became University Hospital and was merged into Shands HealthCare in 1999. In 2013, the complex was renamed UF Health at Jacksonville.
Shands Hospital has also continued to develop its main campus in Gainesville, Florida. In 2017, a new specialty hospital, the Heart & Vascular and Neuromedicine Hospital, was opened on the medical campus, providing comprehensive care for patients with heart, vascular, and neurological needs. That same year, Shands opened the UF Health Shands Cancer Hospital, an academic cancer center with 200 beds focused on producing laboratory findings for preventive cancer therapies. In 2020, Shands Hospital was ranked as the second-best hospital in Florida and was nationally ranked in seven adult and five pediatric specialties.
Today, Shands Hospital is the flagship teaching hospital of the University of Florida and is a Level I trauma center and leading organ transplant center. It is part of the University of Florida Health network, which includes 11 hospitals and hundreds of outpatient clinics across North and Central Florida.
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Shands' location
UF Health Shands Hospital is located at 1600 SW Archer Road, Gainesville, Florida. It is a teaching hospital and is the flagship teaching hospital of the University of Florida. It is a Level I trauma centre and a leading organ transplant centre. It has 1162 beds, 425 of which are generalised, while the remainder are in one of the four speciality hospitals: UF Health Shands Children's Hospital, UF Health Shands Cancer Hospital, UF Health Heart and Vascular Hospital, and UF Health Shands Neuromedicine Hospital. The Children's Hospital is located in the north building, which also houses the remaining 425 non-specialised adult beds. The Heart and Vascular Hospital and Neuromedicine Hospital are located in the same building, referred to as the east tower. The main and speciality hospitals are contained in three buildings, referred to as the north tower, south tower, and east tower.
UF Health Shands Hospital is one of seven hospitals in Florida to receive the Baby-Friendly designation, an international initiative to improve breastfeeding support for new mothers. It is also ranked highly by U.S. News, which includes the Children's Hospital in its evaluation. The hospital is rated highly in several adult and pediatric specialties.
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Frequently asked questions
Shands is considered a good hospital by many patients. It has been ranked among the top 50 out of 4,855 hospitals in the US and is the second-best hospital in Florida. It is also rated high performing in 3 adult specialties and 18 procedures and conditions. However, for specific diagnoses and treatments, it is advisable to ask the doctor about their experience in treating a particular problem.
Some alternative hospitals to Shands include North Florida Regional, Mayo in Jacksonville, and Tampa General.
Shands Hospital is a Level I trauma center and a leading organ transplant center. It is also a teaching hospital with 1,111 beds, including 241 intensive care beds. It has been recognised for its superior clinical outcomes in treating pulmonary embolism, respiratory system failure, sepsis, and diabetic emergencies.
Experiences with Shands Hospital vary. Some people have shared positive experiences, stating that the staff were fantastic and honest. Others have shared negative experiences, mentioning long wait times and high prices.











































