Greater Houston area, for patients requiring extended hospitalization. As an extension of Houston Methodist West Hospital just two miles away, several outpatient services are offered on the Houston Methodist Continuing Care campus, including imaging, outpatient rehabilitation, cardiac rehabilitation and wound care. Houston Methodist Cypress Hospital, announced in May 2021, to be located on the east side of the Northwest Freeway between Barker-Cypress and Skinner roads. Rankings U.S. News & World Report routinely names Houston Methodist Hospital as one of its “Best Hospitals,” most recently in 2021 where it was regionally ranked number one in Texas and number 16 nationally. Houston Methodist is nationally ranked in ten specialties and achieved maximum points for superior performance in 17 out of 17 common adult procedures and conditions. Innovation Houston Methodist has a dedicated center for innovation in digital platforms for healthcare delivery Notable procedures 1968 — The world's first multi-organ transplant and Dr. Michael E. DeBakey's first heart transplant. 1985 — Methodist Hospital physicians perform the first heart-lung transplant in Texas 1985 — Dr. Hartwell Whisennand performs the first liver transplant at Methodist Hospital. 1998 — Dr. Michael Reardon performs the first successful auto-transplant for cardiac malignancy at Methodist Hospital. 2007 — Dr. Gerald Lawrie performs the world's first “American Correction” mitral valve repair using the da Vinci surgical robot at Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center. 2015 — Houston Methodist physicians perform the world's first skull and scalp transplant, plus kidney and pancreas transplants, on one patient. Accolades Houston Methodist has five hospitals with distinction for nursing excellence and quality patient care by the Magnet Recognition Program of the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Houston Methodist Hospital was selected for the 2018 Bernard A. Birnbaum, MD, Quality Leadership Award for excellence in delivering high-quality health care from Vizient, formerly known as UHC. Other awards and achievements include: A 2015 PRISM Award, recognizing exceptional nursing practices, leadership and outcomes in hospital medical-surgical units America's 50 Best Hospitals in 2018, by HealthGrades, for excellence in several key performance areas Affiliated schools/institutions Houston Methodist is an academic medical center affiliated with Weill Cornell Medical College and the Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences of Cornell University, as well as NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. From 1950 to 2004, Houston Methodist was affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine. Other affiliations include Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine and the University of Houston. COVID-19 vaccine requirement Houston