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Child magazine ranks MUSC with top children’s hospitals As the college football season gives way to basketball and other sports,  the news media are constantly listing the nation's top schools in any number of athletic activities. Now, count the Medical University among the top echelon, but you won't find this poll in the sports section. The Atrium is just one of the things that make the MUSC Children's Hospital special. Instead, you'll find it in the February issue of Child magazine, which  lists the nation's 10 leading children's hospitals, including MUSC's  Children's Hospital. The publication, which arrives at newsstands next week, also lists The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia; Children's Hospital, Boston; Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center, Seattle; The Children's Hospital, Denver; Children's Medical Center, Dallas; Children's Hospital and Health Center, San Diego; and C.S. Mott Children's Hospital of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. “That's pretty much the hall of fame of children's hospitals,” said Lyndon Key, M.D., vice chairman of the Department of Pediatrics, surveying a list of the institutions. “It demonstrates the high quality of clinical and surgical services we have here.” The magazine conducted an extensive survey of the nation's 178 children's hospitals, narrowing the list to 50 based on their evaluation from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health-care Organizations. The 50 finalists had to answer a comprehensive 42-question survey developed by the magazine's medical advisory board. The survey addressed issues ranging from cancer survival rates to the extent of the institution's Child Life programs for the emotional needs of young patients. “When a child is seriously ill, a parent wants the best care possible,” said Miriam Arond, editor-in-chief of Child, in a press release. “Our survey provides parents with a list of hospitals that conduct cutting-edge research in children's health and offer exceptional medical care in a sensitive kid- and family-friendly environment.” The magazine's investigation took five months to complete. “Unlike other surveys, we sought to evaluate hospitals based solely on the issues such as performance records, the percentage of their staff board-certified in pediatrics, research capabilities and community outreach,” Arond said. Dr. Charles P. Darby Jr Key had praise for numerous individuals and departments in analyzing the reasons behind the Children's Hospital elite ranking. Foremost was Charles P. Darby Jr., M.D., chairman of the Department of Pediatrics, who is currently out of the country. Darby was the moving force for the establishment of the Children's Hospital, a freestanding facility dedicated to children's health services, which opened in 1987. “Dr. Darby envisioned a Children's Hospital that would be built for ‘A Lot of Little Reasons,’ Key said, referring to the Children's Hospital long-time motto. “A children's hospital was envisioned that would provide the children of South Carolina with pediatric care that would rival that of any other children's hospital in the country. With the recognition of the MUSC Children's Hospital as one of the Top 10 Children's Hospitals in the U.S., this vision has been realized.” Key noted that most of the other leading children's hospitals were long-established institutions; MUSC's Children's Hospital, by comparison,  was relatively new. “In 1984, we had seven or eight full-time faculty members. Today we have more than 65 full-time faculty,” Key said. “The entire program has been put together in a 16-year period. That in and of itself is remarkable.” Along with state support, much of the Children's Hospital growth has been fueled by the Children's Hospital Fund. Barbara Rivers, director of the fund, said private contributions helped to establish pediatric hematology/oncology, gastroenterology, endocrinology, pulmonology and cardiology. “This was made possible by the generosity of private donors in the community, who have given unselfishly, knowing their families may never need our services,” Rivers said. “Without the community support through the Children's Hospital Fund, we would not have been able to recruit the top teams of physicians and scientists to this top 10 Children's Hospital.” Another interesting observation was the fact that the Children's Hospital was the only such institution in the southeastern United States ranked among the nation’s best—Texas and Pennsylvania were the closest states to South Carolina in which leading children’s hospitals were located. “This is the best facility for children's medical care in South Carolina and the Southeast, and it's here in Charleston,” Key said. “The city of Charleston is remarkably blessed to have a children's hospital the caliber of this one.” Key himself was singled out as an outstanding representative of the MUSC Children's Hospital. Key, who also serves as assistant dean for clinical research in the College of Medicine and director of pediatric endocrinology and the General Clinical Research Center, is a leading authority on pediatric bone disorders and diseases, growth hormone deficiencies and other conditions. He currently is principal investigator in a multi-center  clinical trial on a drug promising to relieve symptoms and halt the progression of multiple sclerosis (MS). The Children's Hospital is not resting on its laurels. This week's announcement comes a few weeks before the scheduled groundbreaking of the Children’s Research Institute on Feb. 7.  The facility will provide approximately 100,000 sq.ft. of laboratory space for pediatric research. “To get the best physicians to come here, an institution has to provide the physicians with the facilities to let them do their work,” Key said. The new logo supports the spirit of what MUSC Children’s Health is all about, a caring network that is planned, designed, equipped and staffed with children in mind. It’s child-centered, child-friendly, and represents all the children we serve. MUSC Children's Health includes one of the top 10 children’s hospitals in the country, offering a full range of health care services for children in a team setting from birth through adolescence. MUSC Children’s Health provides families with the most complete pediatric care in South Carolina, with pediatric specialists in almost every discipline. The MUSC team is committed to excellence and provides the most advanced care available, making use of the latest discoveries in medicine. Child-centered. Child-friendly. That's what MUSC Children's Health is all about. And, besides, the logo is fun for kids . . . and parents.   Key lists reasons behind Children's Hospital success by Dr. Lyndon Key Department of Pediatrics Dr. Darby envisioned a children's hospital that would be built for “A Lot of Little Reasons.”  A children's hospital was envisioned that would provide the children of South  Carolina with pediatric care that would rival that of any other children's hospital in the country.  With the  recognition of the MUSC Children's Hospital as one of the Top 10 Children's Hospitals in the United States, this vision  has been  realized.  The important thing to remember is that for a children's hospital to be outstanding, it must pay attention to the needs of children.  Our Children's Hospital does this in many ways.  We have excellent  physicians representing pediatric generalists, surgeons, urologists, neurosurgeons, ophthalmologists, orthopedists, otolaryngologists, plastic surgeons, cardiothoracic surgeons, gynecologists, pediatric intensivists, emergency medicine specialists, neonatologists, adolescent specialists, cardiologists, developmental  specialists, endocrinologists, geneticists, infectious disease specialists, nephrologists, neurologists, radiologists, psychiatrists, and pulmono-logists.  However, the medical specialists are just the tip of the iceberg. The  entire support staff of the Children's Hospital is focused on children: a pediatric nursing staff, dietitians, respiratory therapists, social workers, nurse psychologists, nurse practitioners, physical therapists, speech pathologists, occupational therapists, and child life counselors.  There is also a dedicated group of maintenance, dietary, environmental, and administrative staffs that are dedicated to making things right for children.  The Children's Hospital at MUSC is a place where a child can come and will be treated as a child, but also will be treated with the best, state- of-the-art therapy available.  In recent years, we have not only provided excellent care for children and training for some of the best pediatricians in South Carolina, but also have focused on how to make our care even better. This is being done through research.  Research drives the future care of children and also attracts a caliber of physician with the special desire to make things  better.  In February, we will be breaking ground on the Children's Research Institute which will become the anchor of this program. With a 10-fold increase in extra mural funding for children’s research at MUSC during the past decade, we feel that the MUSC Children's Hospital  will not only be recognized for the excellence of its care, but for the quality of the discoveries that are being made.  The future of the Children's Hospital is bright, not only because of the dedicated physicians and staff who devote their time to the care of children, but also due to community members who have opened their hearts and their purses to support this magnificent venture.  The growth of the Children's Hospital would not be possible without the funds that have been contributed to the Children's Hospital by the state of South Carolina and an army of donors, orchestrated by the Children's Hospital Fund.  The impact that this can have on the cure of disease will be amazing as we move into the future. While there are many examples of this, one current example is the development of an islet cell transplant project to provide a cure for selected patients with diabetes. Families and foundations around the state are rallying to support this project which provides hope for not only improved care, but a cure for this terrible childhood disease.  We are blessed to have had Dr. Darby to push his vision forward, an administration that has supported his dream, and so many friends who have given from their hearts to sustain this program.  The children of South Carolina are being taken care of at the MUSC Children's Hospital, one of the 10 best pediatric centers (out of 178 children's hospitals) in the U.S. Many parents and pediatricians can sleep more easily knowing that our children will be taken care of by the best.