This is the best hospital in Charlotte, according to a new national ranking

CHARLOTTE, NC (Cassie Cope/ The Charlotte Observer - Carolinas Medical Center is the best hospital in the Charlotte region, according to annual U.S. News & World Report rankings released Tuesday.

Carolinas Medical Center is dedicated to providing the best clinical programs to its patients, said Carolinas Medical Center chief medical officer Gary Little.

Atrium Health's flagship hospital in Dilworth also earned top marks in Charlotte in last year's rankings.

The No. 2 hospital in Charlotte is Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center, according to the report. About a dozen other Charlotte-area hospitals were not ranked.

The hospital rankings should be a starting point for patients making decisions about care, according to U.S. News. It said rankings are based in part on a hospital's reputation for delivering high-quality care and patient safety measures.

"Patients still have to do their own research and talk with their doctors," according to U.S. News. Other factors to consider include potential travel and whether a hospital is in patients' insurance network.

Carolinas Medical Center ranked fifth in North Carolina.

In the spring, Atrium Health's University and Pineville hospitals were the only two in Mecklenburg County to earn top marks from nonprofit safety watchdog The Leapfrog Group.