Darwin, a teenage patient in the Pediatric Lung Transplant Program at
NYU Langione Health
Darwin, a teenage patient in the Pediatric Lung Transplant Program at Hassenfeld Children's Hospital by NYU Langone - 1
NYU Langone’s Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital has earned the top ranking in New York State for pediatric pulmonology and lung surgery in the 2026–2027 U.S. News & World Report Best Children’s Hospitals guide. The Manhattan-based hospital provides advanced treatment for children with respiratory and thoracic conditions, supported by specialists across NYU Langone’s locations in Brooklyn and Long Island. Its services cover conditions including severe asthma, cystic fibrosis, chronic lung disease and complex airway disorders, along with surgical treatment for children requiring specialized care. Hassenfeld is also home to the tristate area’s only dedicated pediatric lung transplant team. Nationally, the hospital placed No. 26 for pediatric pulmonology and lung surgery and ranked among the country’s top 50 children’s hospitals in four other pediatric specialties.
Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital at NYU Langone Ranks No. 1 in New York for Pediatric Pulmonology and Lung Surgery
Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital at NYU Langone has been named the No. 1 children’s hospital in New York State for pediatric pulmonology and lung surgery, according to the U.S. News & World Report 2026–2027 Best Children’s Hospitals guide, released today.
“This ranking reflects the extraordinary expertise and dedication of our entire team, as well as the trust families place in us during some of the most challenging moments in their children’s lives,” said Mikhail Kazachkov, MD, director of the Division of Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine and a professor in the Department of Pediatrics at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. “We are proud to be recognized for excellence across a range of highly specialized pediatric pulmonary services, including interventional pulmonology, aerodigestive medicine, chronic complex care, and the treatment of severe asthma, cystic fibrosis, and bronchopulmonary dysplasia. We are deeply committed to advancing treatment options and improving outcomes for every patient we serve.”
The recognition highlights the depth of pediatric pulmonology care provided across NYU Langone Health, with specialists caring for children at Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital and its outpatient locations, as well as NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island and NYU Langone Hospital—Brooklyn. Across the health system, specialists collaborate to diagnose and treat children with conditions ranging from asthma, the most common chronic disease among children, to rare and complex disorders requiring highly specialized, multidisciplinary treatment.
“At Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital, our strength lies in the multidisciplinary collaboration across the health system to care for children with the most serious and complex conditions,” said Jason C. Fisher, MD, director of Children’s Surgical Services at Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital. “This distinction further recognizes the teamwork that allows us to provide advanced pulmonary and thoracic surgical care and innovative treatment approaches that improve outcomes and quality of life for children and families.”
Advanced Pulmonary Care, Including Pediatric Lung Transplant Expertise
Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital brings together pediatric pulmonologists, thoracic surgeons, critical care specialists, transplant specialists, and other experts to care for children and adolescents with severe and complex respiratory and thoracic conditions. These include severe asthma, cystic fibrosis, chronic lung disease, airway abnormalities, congenital lung malformations, sleep-related breathing disorders, and other rare pulmonary diseases. Patients receive coordinated evaluation, medical and surgical treatment, and long-term follow-up tailored to their needs. This multidisciplinary expertise includes pediatric thoracic surgeon Keith A. Kuenzler, MD, whose expertise in minimally invasive lung surgery expands the surgical options for babies and children with complex lung conditions.
“Being able to provide specialized pulmonary care closer to where families live is an important part of how we serve children across the region,” said Monita Mendiratta, MD, chief of the Division of Pediatric Pulmonology at NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine. “Our goal is to make sure children have access to the right expertise and care at every stage, whether they need ongoing management or evaluation for a more complex condition.”
Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital is home to the only dedicated pediatric lung transplant team in the tristate area, providing highly specialized care for children and adolescents with advanced and end-stage lung disease. Its Pediatric Lung Transplant Program is part of the NYU Langone Transplant Institute, which has improved the lives of hundreds of lung transplant patients since performing its first adult lung transplant in 2018 and first pediatric lung transplant in 2021. The program, led by Eleanor Muise, MD, a pediatric pulmonologist, and Stephanie H. Chang, MD, a thoracic surgeon, brings together multidisciplinary expertise, with support staff and services provided through Sala Institute for Child and Family Centered Care, to guide children and families through the transplant process, from evaluation and treatment to long-term follow-up.
“This recognition is a powerful affirmation of the extraordinary care our teams provide every day and of our mission to deliver the best possible outcomes for children and families,” said Nadia Ovchinsky, MD, the Pat and John Rosenwald Professor of Pediatrics and chair of the Department of Pediatrics. “We are honored to be named No. 1 in New York State for pediatric pulmonology and lung surgery, and we are grateful to our faculty, nurses, and staff whose expertise, compassion, and commitment made this achievement possible.”
Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital ranked No. 26 nationally for pediatric pulmonology and lung surgery. The hospital also ranked among the nation’s top 50 children’s hospitals in four additional pediatric specialties: pediatric cardiology and heart surgery, diabetes and pediatric endocrinology, pediatric gastroenterology and GI surgery, and neonatology. The specialty rankings recognize children’s hospitals that demonstrate excellence in areas including patient outcomes, reputation among pediatric specialists, and the ability to provide highly complex care.
Source: NYU Langone Health
