These 6 hospitals offer the best care to pregnant, new mothers in SC, US News & World Report says
Six South Carolina hospitals earned top ratings for their maternity care in 2024 from a new U.S. News & World Report ranking.
According to the ranking, released on Tuesday, the hospitals earned a “high performing” rating — the highest rating awarded by U.S. News for maternity hospitals. U.S. News began evaluating maternity care hospitals in 2021, rating hospitals that provide labor and delivery services and submit data for analysis.
The high performance rating shows that the hospitals provide high-quality labor and delivery services for uncomplicated pregnancies. A high performing status rates how well a hospital performs in childbirth using criteria such as:
- Cesarean section (C-section) rates.
- Newborn complication rates.
- Breast milk feeding rates.
- Early elective delivery rates.
- Routine vaginal birth after cesarean delivery (VBAC) rates.
- Episiotomy rates.
- If a hospital meets new federal criteria for “birthing-friendly” practices.
- Whether a hospital tracks and reports outcomes for patients of different races and ethnicities.
High performing SC hospitals
Here are the hospitals that received a high performing rating for maternity care. To learn more about how the hospitals earned their ratings, click on their links.
- Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital in Charleston
- Spartanburg Medical Center in Spartanburg
- MUSC Health-University Medical Center in Charleston
- Lexington Medical Center in West Columbia
- MUSC Health Florence Medical Center in Florence
- Roper St. Francis Berkeley Hospital in Summerville
In a Tuesday press release, MUSC pointed out that it’s two hospitals included in the ranking had both improved from the previous year.
“We strive to provide the highest quality maternity experience for every family,” Donna Johnson, M.D., chair of the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at MUSC, said in the press release. “I am immensely proud of our care teams and know this is well-deserved recognition.”
Maternity hospitals report key findings
- Hospitals rated high performing:
- Have C-section rates 22% lower compared with maternity care hospitals not recognized by U.S. News.
- Have severe unexpected newborn complication rates 44% lower compared with maternity care hospitals not recognized by U.S. News.
- Have episiotomy rates 33% lower compared with maternity care hospitals not recognized by U.S. News.
- Have breast milk feeding rates 12% higher compared to maternity care hospitals not recognized by U.S. News.
- Are 13% more likely to report race/ethnicity data for both C-section and severe unexpected newborn complications compared with maternity care hospitals not recognized by U.S. News.
This story was originally published December 11, 2024 at 6:00 AM.
