Mercy Medical Center – Des Moines has been ranked first in Greater Des Moines in U.S. News & World Report’s 2011 Best Hospitals rankings.

The hospital was designated as “high performing” in three specialties: cancer, gynecology and nephrology. In the same report, Iowa Methodist Medical Center was ranked second in the metro area, with recognition for two “high performing” areas: cancer and ear, nose and throat.

The two hospitals were among 720 that were designated high performing in at least one of 16 specialty areas or were ranked among the best in their metro area. This year was the first time that U.S. News included Greater Des Moines in the metropolitan portion of the survey, which included 94 metro areas with at least 500,000 residents.