When it comes to treating patients with back, neck, hip, and knee problems, you won’t find better care than is available at Beaufort Memorial Hospital, according to the HealthGrades 2009 “Healthcare Quality in America Study” results.

The results, released nationwide this month, place BMH among the top 10 percent of hospitals in the nation for spine surgery, and among the best in South Carolina for orthopedic surgery, including joint replacement.  
    Better care for you
HealthGrades®, the nation’s independent leader in measuring hospital quality and outcomes, measures data from all of the nation’s more than 5,000 acute-care hospitals* to make an apples-to-apples comparison of how hospitals perform in certain areas.
    The results are designed to give consumers a basis for comparing where they can receive the best services to meet their needs, based on what is arguably the most important measure of success: patient outcomes.
    BMH is a two-time recipient of the HealthGrades Spine Surgery Excellence Award™, and is ranked among the top 10 percent of hospitals in the nation for this service. BMH President and CEO Rick Toomey credits the team approach the surgeons, nurses and other clinical specialists take to treating patients who undergo spine surgery.
    “The Spine Surgery program at BMH has been developed through the collaborative efforts of everyone from the surgeons, nurses and physical therapists, to the imaging technologists, pharmacists and social workers,” he says. “Every discipline involved in a spine patient’s care has to buy into the process to ensure the best care.  Their commitment to and mastery of the process is proven through their patients’ outstanding results.”
    A measure of success
    For the third year in a row the hospital received five-star ratings for other orthopedic services, including total knee replacement and joint replacement, and placed among the top three in the state – and the only hospital in the region – for overall orthopedic services.
In addition, the hospital received five-star ratings for GI Surgeries and Procedures. This was the fourth year in a row the hospital was ranked among the best in South Carolina for Overall Gastrointestinal Care.
    “This is further proof of what a well-coordinated clinical program can do for patients seeking quality surgical care,” says Pat Foulger, RN, vice president for Quality Services at BMH. “We’re so proud of the skills and commitment our surgeons, clinical, and support staff have made to providing patients outstanding care close to home.”
    To watch a video interview with our CEO Rick Toomey and HealthGrades Consultant Lauren Galloway, or visit www.bmhsc.org
* Excludes veterans hospitals