U.S. News & World Report Recognizes 13 MUSC Programs

Charleston, S.C. (July 19, 2011) - The Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) has been named by U.S. News & World Report as one of the country's best hospitals in the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders and ear/nose/throat disorders. In addition to these national rankings, MUSC is "high-performing" in treating kidney disorders, gynecologic disorders, orthopedics and rheumatology. Treatment programs for cancer, cardiology and heart surgery, neurology and neurosurgery, psychiatry, pulmonology, geriatrics and urology also were considered high performing. To see MUSC scores and rankings, click here.

New this year are rankings of other area hospitals. MUSC was ranked first for the Charleston-North Charleston-Summerville metro area. The new rankings recognize 622 hospitals in or near major cities with a record of high performance in key medical specialties, including 132 of the 152 hospitals already identified as the best in the nation. There are nearly 5,000 hospitals nationwide. To be ranked in its metro area, a hospital had to score in the top 25 percent among its peers in at least one of 16 medical specialties.

"All of these hospitals provide first-rate care for the majority of patients, even those with serious conditions or who need demanding procedures," says Health Rankings Editor Avery Comarow. "The new Best Hospitals metro rankings can tell you which hospitals are worth considering for most medical problems if you live in or near a major metro area." The rankings, annually published by U.S. News for the past 22 years, will also be featured in the U.S. News Best Hospitals guidebook, which will go on sale August 30. Highlights from this year's rankings include:

* Gastrointestinal Disorders ranks for 15th consecutive year * Cancer, Cardiology & Heart Surgery, Geriatrics, Neurology & Neurosurgery and Psychiatry recognized for the first time

"We are pleased that the outstanding care delivered by our faculty and staff is garnering such national attention," said Ray Greenberg, M.D., Ph.D., MUSC president. "All South Carolinians can depend on the high quality of services being delivered at our hospital and through graduates of our training programs throughout the state."

Since 1990, the magazine has identified medical centers with unique capabilities in one or more areas. This year, the exclusive magazine reviewed data from 4,852 hospitals and selected 152 stellar medical centers in 16 specialty areas for the national rankings. Rankings and eligibility are driven by hard data, including reputation, death rate, patient safety, and care-related factors such as nursing and patient services. This year's rankings may be viewed at www.usnews.com/besthospitals.

"Here in Charleston, we're easily recognized as the hospital that you want to go to for the hardest problems and most difficult-to-treat cases," said Pat Cawley, M.D., MUHA Executive Medical director. "What these new metro rankings show our community is that in addition to taking the hardest cases, we also provide excellent care for more routine procedures and treatments. With this number one designation for our area, our neighbors can rest easy knowing that we can deliver an excellent standard of care, no matter what brings them to us."

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**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.

**Contact: **Heather Woolwine (843)792-7669 woolwinh@musc.edu