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I'm asking a question here, because I honestly don't know, but each time I see this statement, the question pops up. Is Texas Medical Center a single institution? Or is it a district containing multiple independent institutions? If the latter, then the claim is more significant than the former. Just to illustrate, the Longwood Medical Area in Boston has three major research hospitals, half a dozen specialty hospitals, half a dozen pharmeceutical company headquarters, and Harvard Medical School. And there are three other significant centers of medical research that are not located in Longwood (Mass General Hospital, Boston Medical Center, Tufts Medical Center).
I'm sure that Texas Medical Center is bigger than any individual institution in Boston. But is it bigger than Longwood? Is it bigger than Longwood + MGH + BMC +Tufts? I legitimately don't know, but it would be useful to more clearly define the terms. What are the metrics? lmkcin posted some information about NIH grant funding. How does that compare between Houston and Boston? That would seem to be more useful information than the simple statement that Texas Medical Center is the largest in the world. Largest what?
If I am not mistaken it is the largest based on actual size and number of facilities. It really is a huge cluster, larger than Downtown Dallas.
With that being said though Houston while an emerging Medical Center is not even in the Top 10 for NIH funding or Venture Capital funds for research. The "Business" of healthcare is much larger here in Boston (The number 1 city on the planet when it comes to research dollars) Boston on its own secures more NIH funding than the ENTIRE state of Texas.
This is not to discredit Houston's medical industry, but I will take the money over the "size" any day of the week, that is really what matters at the end of the day.
If I am not mistaken it is the largest based on actual size and number of facilities. It really is a huge cluster, larger than Downtown Dallas.
With that being said though Houston while an emerging Medical Center is not even in the Top 10 for NIH funding or Venture Capital funds for research. The "Business" of healthcare is much larger here in Boston (The number 1 city on the planet when it comes to research dollars) Boston on its own secures more NIH funding than the ENTIRE state of Texas.
This is not to discredit Houston's medical industry, but I will take the money over the "size" any day of the week, that is really what matters at the end of the day.
You can thank all of those universities/colleges in Boston for that. But even with not as much funding as Boston, the hospitals in the TMC all rank towards the top. Each hospital specializes in something, for the most part. Is there a link to this NIH funding, though?
You can thank all of those universities/colleges in Boston for that. But even with not as much funding as Boston, the hospitals in the TMC all rank towards the top. Each hospital specializes in something, for the most part. Is there a link to this NIH funding, though?
And Houston has some top notch institutions for sure (As does Boston)
Here is the most recent database for NIH funding for 2009: NIH Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tools (RePORT)
The NIH has not ranked by city since 2004, so you have to sort through the data, but if you are curious here is the City rankings from 2004: Top 100 NIH Cities, 2004
So in 2008: Boston NIH Funding (Does not even include Cambridge which is right across the river and ranks in the Top 10 on its own) 1.6billion dollars
Entire State of Texas: 1.3b (which makes it the 5th ranking State overall)
I think the fact that Boston which has a population of about 620,000 (remember NIH rankings are for City of Boston not Metro) can secure more funding than the 2nd most populous state in the nation, is really a testament to how huge our Medical Industry is here. I work in it and am still blown away by how much funding we secure.
The NIH has not ranked by city since 2004, so you have to sort through the data, but if you are curious here is the City rankings from 2004: Top 100 NIH Cities, 2004
So in 2008: Boston NIH Funding (Does not even include Cambridge which is right across the river and ranks in the Top 10 on its own) 1.6billion dollars
Entire State of Texas: 1.3b (which makes it the 5th ranking State overall)
I think the fact that Boston which has a population of about 620,000 (remember NIH rankings are for City of Boston not Metro) can secure more funding than the 2nd most populous state in the nation, is really a testament to how huge our Medical Industry is here. I work in it and am still blown away by how much funding we secure.
Yea it's pretty ridiculous that only two states (Cali & NY) get more funding than the little 48 square mile city of Boston.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Scarface713
You can thank all of those universities/colleges in Boston for that. But even with not as much funding as Boston, the hospitals in the TMC all rank towards the top. Each hospital specializes in something, for the most part. Is there a link to this NIH funding, though?
Actually, only about 30% of the NIH funding goes to universities for research. Anyway, I don't believe NIH funding is used for anything but medical research. I'm pretty the rankings which you're referring to are based on the actual treatments of things like cancer, heart disease, etc.
The NIH has not ranked by city since 2004, so you have to sort through the data, but if you are curious here is the City rankings from 2004: Top 100 NIH Cities, 2004
So in 2008: Boston NIH Funding (Does not even include Cambridge which is right across the river and ranks in the Top 10 on its own) 1.6billion dollars
Entire State of Texas: 1.3b (which makes it the 5th ranking State overall)
I think the fact that Boston which has a population of about 620,000 (remember NIH rankings are for City of Boston not Metro) can secure more funding than the 2nd most populous state in the nation, is really a testament to how huge our Medical Industry is here. I work in it and am still blown away by how much funding we secure.
It seems like states with top universities/colleges are also high in NIH funding. So, it makes complete sense on why Boston has so much funding. Thanks for the link.
It seems like states with top universities/colleges are also high in NIH funding. So, it makes complete sense on why Boston has so much funding. Thanks for the link.
True. Even though I mentioned only 30% of Boston's funding goes to universities, I'm sure it's still heavily influenced by the fact that Boston has such an incredible talent-pool.
Actually, only about 30% of the NIH funding goes to universities for research. Anyway, I don't believe NIH funding is used for anything but medical research. I'm pretty the rankings which you're referring to are based on the actual treatments of things like cancer, heart disease, etc.
Yes, I think there was some confusion regarding medical research and hospital rankings. Medical research is just that, and may or may not involve patients. It may involve patients on an experimental level. The hospital rankings Scarface713 was referring to are ranked on patient outcomes regarding actual treatment such morbidity, mortality, and safety.
Houstons Medical Center is top notch, big, and very highly rated. Exceptional in Cancer and Transplant. Boston also has excellent hospitals.
NIH funding in many ways has little to do with medicine taking place in the hospitals. Though Boston and Cambridge are great in their research area and would excel in this space relative to any other metro
Boston is the only city in the nation to have 2 hospitals ranked in the Top 10. Houston also has a Hospital that ranked in the Top 20.
Yes, the "Honor Roll" ranks individual hospitals on breadth of top specialty rankings, which may be a disadvantage for hospitals at the Texas Medical Center. Mass General & Brigham and Women's certainly have breadth within each. In the Texas Medical Center, inter-institutional interactions permit more individual specializations among several hospitals. For cancer, MD Anderson; heart transplants, St. Luke's; pediatrics, Texas Children's; spinal rehab, TIRR - as they're all within two or three blocks of each other.
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