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DDC ranks among best in nation according to US News & World Report MUSC continues to rank among the top 50 health care facilities in the nation. MUSC’s Digestive Disease Center has yet again obtained national recognition in this year’s U.S. News & World Report with a ranking of 31. Consistent team work among gastroenterologists and surgeons under the leadership of DDC director Peter Cotton, M.D., makes this center one of the best in the nation. Available on newsstands as of July 11, the July 18 issue is the magazine’s annual ranking of the nation’s best health care facilities.   To be considered for ranking, a hospital must be a member of the Council of Teaching Hospitals, be affiliated with a medical school or make available to patients at least nine out of 18 technology–related services such as positron emission tomography.    Out of  6,007 hospitals, only 176 were ranked in at least one of the specialties. The U.S. News Score is a numerical assessment made up of three equal parts: The first two scores are derived from the mortality ratio (adjusted for severity) and care-related factors such as nursing Magnet status, a formal designation by the American Nursing Association for hospitals that meet specific standards of nursing excellence and which MUSC is striving to obtain. Patient, community services and the actual process of delivering care and outcomes for the patients served were important factors under consideration this year.   The third part of this score is reputation. A survey of 200 specialists asked them to list the top five hospitals they consider best in their specialty for complicated procedures. Slightly half of the 3,400 doctors surveyed this year responded.   For a complete list of hospital rankings, visit US News & World Report Web site at http://www.usnews.com/usnews/nycu/health/hosptl/tophosp.htm.   For more information on MUSC’s DDC go to http://www.ddc.musc.edu/.     Friday, July 15, 2005 Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to petersnd@musc.edu or catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Community Press at 849-1778.