POINTS OF DISTINCTION
June 2013
 U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals 2012-2013
For the 16th consecutive year, MUSC has been recognized as a Best Hospital by U.S.
News & World Report in their annual rankings.
Four adult specialty programs at MUSC are ranked among the top 50 in the nation.
Cardiology & Heart Surgery (#47)
Ear, Nose & Throat (#30)
Gastroenterology (#49)
Nephrology (#44)
 University Health System Consortium Rising Star Award, 2012
MUSC has received a Rising Star Award and was ranked 15th out of 116 academic
medical centers overall at the annual meeting of the University Health System
Consortium (UHC).
 U.S. News & World Report Best Hospital in South Carolina & Top 25% in 13 out of 16 clinical
areas ranked
MUSC is ranked the #1 hospital in South Carolina by the U.S. News & World Report. This
is the first year the report has included state rankings.
Nine other adult specialties at MUSC are designated as “high preforming,” meaning that
they rank in the top 25% nationally: cancer, diabetes & endocrinology, geriatrics,
gynecology, neurology & neurosurgery, orthopedics, pulmonology, rheumatology and
urology.
 MUSC Children’s Hospital one of America’s Best Children’s Hospitals
The U.S. Media Group’s 2012-2013 edition of America’s Best Children’s Hospitals ranks
MUSC Children’s Hospital among the top 20 programs for heart (#15 this year), the
fourth time it has attained this distinction. For the first time this year, its pediatric
gastroenterology program also ranked as one of the top 50 in the nation. MUSC
Children’s Hospital was in the best category of postoperative survival in the survey, with
an overall 30-day survival rate of 99%, including the most complex surgeries.
 Top Doctors & Best Doctors are at MUSC
U.S. News & World Report identifies the top 1% of physicians in the country. Of those
practicing in the Charleston area, 93% are at MUSC. More than 270 Charleston-area
doctors either employed at or affiliated with the Medical University have been named
to the 2012-2013 “Best Doctors” list by Best Doctors, Inc.
 MUSC ranked in the “Top Ten Most Popular Medical Schools” by the 2012-2013 U.S. News and
World Report
 HealthExecNews.com named the Medical University of South Carolina’s Ashley River Tower as
one of the “25 Most Beautiful Hospitals in the World”, 2012
 MUSC again received an “A” rating for patient safety from the Leapfrog Group in the Spring
2013 Hospital Safety Score. MUSC was the only hospital in the Charleston area to be graded “A”
and one of only 12 hospitals in South Carolina. This is the third year in a row that MUSC has
been given this distinction.
 The Only National Cancer Institute- designated cancer center in South Carolina
MUSC Hollings Caner Center has also been awarded three year, full accreditation from
the American College of Surgeons for the National Accreditation Program for Breast
Centers.
 MUSC was voted Charleston’s Hospital of Choice 14 years in a row
MUSC was voted Charleston’s Hospital of Choice 14 years in a row for Best Overall
Quality, Best Doctors, Best Nurses by the National Research Corporation 2011.
 MUSC awarded Most Wired 2012
Most Wired awards acknowledge hospitals nationwide for leveraging health information
technology in new and envelope-pushing ways.
 HealthGrades Quality Awards
Women’s Health Excellence Award 2011; also five-star rated in Women’s Health
Outstanding Patient Experience Award 2011
Neurosciences Excellence Award 2012
Stroke Care Excellence Award 2012
Vascular Surgery Excellence Award 2012
 Exceeding Patient Expectations
MUSC has received the Avatar Exceeding Patient Expectations award for the year 2011.
Avatar International, a research and consulting company, specializes in Evidence Based
Intelligent Surveys and Innovative Strategies to transform information into significant
quality and efficiency of care improvement for the healthcare industry.
 Centers of Excellence
Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence
Gamma Knife Center of Excellence
Breast Imaging Center of Excellence
ACCREDITATION & RECOGNITION
 MUSC Arboretum received its Tree Campus USA certification on National Arbor Day on Friday,
April 26, 2013. The Tree Campus USA designation honors colleges and universities and their
leaders for promoting healthy trees and engaging students and staff in the spirit of
conservation.
 MUSC trauma program has been verified as a Level 1 Trauma Center by the American College of
Surgeons. This verification is the highest level any trauma program in the country can achieve
and MUSC is the first hospital in South Carolina to achieve this rating. (January 2012)
 MUSC was awarded Joint Commission Advanced Inpatient Diabetes Certification for Main
Hospital, Ashley River Tower, Institute of Psychiatry, and Children’s Hospital. MUSC is
approximately the 40th hospital in the U.S. to gain this distinction. (June 2011)
 The MUSC Depression Research and Treatment Center has been awarded membership into the
National Network of Depression Centers (NNDC). The NNDC constitutes the premier academic
centers in the United States, which study and treat depression and related co-morbid
neuropsychiatric disorders. MUSC is one of 22 such designated centers.
 MUSC received recognition as a Quality Respiratory Care Provider. Approximately 15% of
hospitals in the U.S. have applied for and received this award.
 The MUSC Cystic Fibrosis (CF Center) was recently awarded the 2011-2012 Quality Care Award
at the North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference.
 The MUSC College of Nursing ranked 30th nationally, among more than 700 nursing programs, in
NIH research funding
 Becker’s Hospital Review named MUSC as one of the 100 Hospitals with Great Heart Programs.
The list of 100 hospitals recognizes outstanding hospitals for heart care in the United States and
MUSC is the only hospital in South Carolina to make it on this list.