July 17, 2012
CHARLESTON -- The Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) has been named by U.S. News & World Report as one of the country's best hospitals (top 50) in the treatment of ear/nose/throat disorders, nephrology, cardiology and heart surgery, and gastroenterology.
This is the 16th consecutive year for gastroenterology to be ranked. MUSC is also “high-performing” in treating cancer, gynecologic disorders, orthopedics and rheumatology. Programs for diabetes and endocrinology, neurology and neurosurgery, pulmonology, geriatrics and urology also were considered high-performing. Fewer than 150 of the nation’s 5,000 hospitals are nationally ranked in at least one of 16 medical specialties. To see MUSC scores and rankings, go to http://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals/medical-university-of-south-carolina-6370085.
MUSC ranked first in South Carolina and for the Charleston-North Charleston-Summerville metro area. These state and local rankings recognize 730 hospitals with a record of high performance in key medical specialties, including hospitals already identified as the best in the nation. The complete rankings and methodology are available at http://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals.
"We are pleased to again be ranked as the leader in specialty care in South Carolina, and as one of the premier treatment centers in the country,” said Ray Greenberg, M.D., Ph.D., MUSC president. “This is a great tribute to the outstanding physicians and other caregivers who serve the health needs of so many patients."
U.S. News Health Rankings editor Avery Comarow said the rankings are a GPS-like aid to help steer patients to hospitals with strong skills in procedures and medical conditions. “All of these hospitals are the kinds of medical centers that should be on your list when you need the best care,” he said. “They are where other hospitals send the toughest cases.”
Vice president for medical affairs and dean of the College of Medicine Etta Pisano, M.D., echoed Greenberg and Comarow, “These rankings highlight some of the reasons MUSC has become a destination medical center. As an academic medical center with world-class physicians and ground-breaking research, our patients benefit from the latest advances in medicine.”
Since 1990, the magazine has identified medical centers with unique capabilities in one or more areas. Rankings and eligibility are driven by hard data, including reputation, death rate, patient safety, and care-related factors such as nursing and patient services.
About MUSC
Founded in 1824 in Charleston, The Medical University of South Carolina is the oldest medical school in the South. Today, MUSC continues the tradition of excellence in education, research, and patient care. MUSC educates and trains more than 3,000 students and residents, and has nearly 13,000 employees, including approximately 1,500 faculty members. As the largest non-federal employer in Charleston, the university and its affiliates have collective annual budgets in excess of $1.7 billion. MUSC operates a 750-bed medical center, which includes a nationally recognized Children's Hospital, the Ashley River Tower (cardiovascular, digestive disease, and surgical oncology), and a leading Institute of Psychiatry. For more information on academic information or clinical services, visit www.musc.edu. For more information on hospital patient services, visit www.muschealth.com.
About U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is a multi-platform publisher of news and analysis, which includes the digital-only U.S. News Weekly magazine, www.usnews.com, and www.rankingsandreviews.com. Focusing on Health, Personal Finance, Education, Travel, Cars, and Public Service/Opinion, U.S. News has earned a reputation as the leading provider of service news and information that improves the quality of life of its readers. U.S. News & World Report’s signature franchise includes its News You Can Use® brand of journalism and its annual "Best" series of consumer web guides and publications that include rankings of colleges, graduate schools, hospitals, mutual funds, health plans, and more.
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