Only one Midlands hospital ranked in report listing best in South Carolina — again
For the third consecutive year, just one Midlands hospital was named as a top hospital in South Carolina in a ranking released this week. The hospital, Lexington Medical Center, was also recognized last year by U.S. News & World Report.
Not only was Lexington Medical Center rated the top hospital in the Columbia area, it was once again deemed the second-best medical facility in South Carolina by U.S. News & World Report.
MUSC Health University Medical Center in Charleston was named as the No. 1 hospital in South Carolina for the ninth year in a row by U.S. News & World Report.
Lexington Medical Center has been a fixture in the rankings, as it was rated the fifth-best hospital in the Palmetto State in 2021, according to U.S. News & World Report. No other Midlands hospital has been recognized as one of South Carolina’s best in the past three years by the news site, which lists the top eight medical facilities in South Carolina.
Lexington Medical Center is also generally regarded as one of the safest hospitals in South Carolina in the biannual Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, where it has been given an A rating in each of the past two rankings.
In the most recent U.S. News & World Report rankings, Lexington Medical Center was rated high in 12 adult procedures and conditions.
Lexington Medical Center was lauded by U.S. News & World Report for its performance in procedures and conditions related to colon cancer surgery, heart failure, heart attack, diabetes, kidney failure, back surgery (spinal fusion), hip fracture, hip replacement, knee replacement, prostate cancer surgery, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in addition to the combined procedure for leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma.
“Recognition as a Best Hospital by U.S. News & World Report reflects our dedication to delivering advanced medicine and state-of-the-art treatments to promote the health and well-being of our patients and their families,” Brent M. Powers, senior vice president and chief medical officer, said in a news release. “Achieving this prestigious ranking takes years of collaboration and innovation among specialties and providers throughout our organization.
“We are proud of our exceptional physicians, nurses, clinicians and staff for their continued commitment to providing quality health services that meet the needs of our communities.”
U.S. News evaluated 94 hospitals in South Carolina, and only eight met its standards to earn a ranking.
The other hospitals that U.S. News & World Report ranked among the best in South Carolina included Bon Secours St. Francis Health System (Greenville), Grand Strand Regional Medical Center (Myrtle Beach), Roper Hospital (Charleston), Spartanburg Medical Center, Prisma Health Greenville Memorial Hospital, and McLeod Regional Medical Center (Florence). While not in the same order, the top eight hospitals from the 2022 report remained South Carolina’s top rated medical facilities in this year’s rankings.
Although not included in the statewide rankings, several area hospitals were considered high performing in multiple areas, including:
▪ MUSC Health Columbia Medical Center Downtown (heart failure, hip replacement)
▪ Newberry County Memorial Hospital (back surgery/spinal fusion)
▪ Prisma Health Baptist Hospital (colon cancer surgery, knee replacement, hip replacement)
▪ Prisma Health Richland Hospital (heart failure, heart attack, lung cancer surgery, stroke)
▪ Prisma Health Tuomey Hospital (heart failure, kidney failure)
▪ Regional Medical Center — Orangeburg (heart failure, diabetes, stroke)
U.S. News says its list of best hospitals was determined by each hospital’s performance using measures such as survival rates, complication rates, patient experience and level of nursing care. The report’s methodology factors in data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, American Hospital Association, professional organizations and medical specialists.
The rankings are designed to help patients with life-threatening or rare conditions identify hospitals that excel in treating the most difficult cases, with information on about 4,500 medical centers across the nation, according to U.S. News.
U.S. News advised readers not to reject emergency treatment based on the rankings.
The public is encouraged to consult with a doctor about the best hospital for treatment, and should only use the rankings as a starting point, U.S. News said.
“For 34 years, U.S. News has provided data-informed rankings to help patients and their doctors find the best hospital to treat their illness or condition,” said Ben Harder, chief of health analysis and managing editor at U.S. News & World Report.
Hospital Ranking Methodology
The U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals methodology evaluated each hospital’s performance using a variety of measures such as survival rates, complication rates, patient experience and level of nursing care. The Best Hospitals methodology factors in data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, American Hospital Association, professional organizations and medical specialists.
SOURCE: U.S. News & World Report
There are 15 specialties where the hospitals are ranked, and they include:
▪ Cancer
▪ Cardiology and heart surgery
▪ Diabetes and endocrinology
▪ Ear, nose and throat
▪ Gastroenterology and GI surgery
▪ Geriatrics
▪ Obstetrics and gynecology
▪ Neurology and neurosurgery
▪ Orthopedics
▪ Pulmonology and lung surgery
▪ Rehabilitation
▪ Urology
In the remaining three specialties — ophthalmology, psychiatry and rheumatology — ranking is determined entirely by expert opinion, based on responses from three years of surveys of physician specialists who were asked to name the hospitals to which they would be inclined to refer their sickest patients.
SOURCE: U.S. News & World Report
