Not Last (At Last)

The District of Columbia is a political jurisdiction like no other. Its unique status and demographics often skew the statistics in 50-state comparisons. So when the city comes out on top in a positive way, it's worth noting.

In ratings of emergency medical care released this week, D.C. is tied with California, Massachusetts, and Connecticut for the top overall grade: B. The report card, issued by the American College of Emergency Physicians, is touted as the first national assessment of its kind. The organization used public and private data to rate the states (and D.C.) on 50 measures, including quality of care, physician training, injury-prevention laws, caps on malpractice awards and vaccination rates.

D.C. overcame its F in the category of "medical liability environment" by earning the only A+ awarded in "access to emergency care."