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Published on December 02, 2015

Tidelands Waccamaw Community Hospital named one of nation’s Top Hospitals

Tidelands Waccamaw Community Hospital has been named one of the nation’s Top Hospitals by The Leapfrog Group, the only hospital in South Carolina to receive this honor. Earned by just 98 hospitals nationwide in 2015, the distinction is one of the most prestigious that any hospital in the United States can achieve. 

The recognition is based on the results of The Leapfrog Group’s annual hospital survey, which measures hospitals’ performances on patient safety and quality.

“Being one of the nation’s top hospitals isn’t something that occurs overnight. It is the result of strong leadership, meticulous attention to detail and an understanding that our patients’ welfare must be at the center of everything we do,” said H. McRoy Skipper Jr.,  CPA, chairman of the Tidelands Health board of trustees. “I am deeply proud of the employee and physician partners at Tidelands Waccamaw Community Hospital for earning this achievement. It shows what we have known for some time -- that we have one of the country’s best facilities and health care teams right here in our community.”

The Leapfrog Group annual survey focuses on three critical areas of hospital care: how patients fare; resource use; and management structures established to prevent errors. Performance across many areas of hospital care is considered, including survival rates for high-risk procedures and a hospital’s ability to prevent medication errors.

“Being included in this elite list of hospitals is quite an honor, but most of all it is a validation for residents of our community that, at Tidelands Waccamaw, patients are cared for by a nationally recognized team that follows the highest standards of quality and safety,” said Bruce Bailey, president and CEO of Tidelands Health.

Added Pam Maxwell, Tidelands Health’s chief nursing officer, “Our patients and their safety are our top priority, and those considerations guide every decision and every action. Our health care team has worked diligently to lower infection rates, decrease length of stay and reduce readmissions, and I am so proud of our employee and physician partners for earning this prestigious honor.”

Tidelands Waccamaw was recognized and selected from hospitals participating in The Leapfrog Group’s annual survey. The list of 98 Top Hospitals includes:

  • 24 Top Rural Hospitals, the category in which Tidelands Waccamaw was recognized
  • 62 Top Urban Hospitals
  • 12 Top Children’s Hospitals

“Leapfrog’s Top Hospital award is widely acknowledged as one of the most prestigious distinctions any hospital can achieve in the United States,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “Top Hospitals have lower infection rates, better outcomes, decreased length of stay and fewer readmissions. By achieving Top Hospital status, Tidelands Waccamaw Community Hospital has proven it prioritizes the safety of its patients, is committed to transparency and provides exemplary care for families and patients in Georgetown, Horry and Williamsburg counties. I congratulate the board, staff, and clinicians whose efforts achieved these results.”

Tidelands Waccamaw’s recognition as a Top Hospital is one of several notable quality achievements by Tidelands Health hospitals in recent months. Tidelands Georgetown Memorial Hospital has achieved multiple five star-ratings for heart and stroke care from Healthgrades, and both Tidelands Waccamaw and Tidelands Georgetown are recognized as advanced primary stroke centers and joint replacement centers of excellence by The Joint Commission.

Tidelands Waccamaw was named one of America’s 100 best hospitals for orthopedic surgery in 2015 by Healthgrades and rated among the Top 10 percent in the nation for overall orthopedic services. Healthgrades has also recognized Tidelands Waccamaw for outstanding patient experience for five consecutive years. In addition, both Tidelands Waccamaw and Tidelands Georgetown have achieved Pathway to Excellence designation by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. PTE distinction singles out hospitals that create environments where nurses work and excel and are encouraged to go above and beyond in patient care.

 “Working with a team that continuously strives to improve quality and safety and comes to work every day prepared to do the utmost for patients is a privilege,” Bailey said. “Being part of a trusted health care system that cares for our community is an honor.”

The Top Hospital award is given to urban, rural and children's hospitals that publicly report their performance through the annual Leapfrog Hospital Survey and meet the high standards defined in each year's Top Hospitals Methodology. 

About Tidelands Health
Tidelands Health is the largest health care provider in Georgetown and Horry counties. With three hospitals and more than 40 outpatient locations that stretch from Andrews to North Myrtle Beach, Tidelands Health is improving lives across the Tidelands region.

About The Leapfrog Group

Founded in 2000 by large employers and other purchasers, The Leapfrog Group is a national nonprofit organization driving a movement for giant leaps forward in the quality and safety of American health care. The flagship Leapfrog Hospital Survey collects and transparently reports hospital performance, empowering purchasers to find the highest-value care and giving consumers the lifesaving information they need to make informed decisions.

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Tidelands Health, in collaboration with MUSC Health, is the region’s largest health care provider, serving the Carolinas at four hospitals and more than 70 outpatient locations. More than 2,500 employee, physician and volunteer partners work side by side with our communities to transform the health of our region – promoting wellness, preventing illness, encouraging recovery and restoring health.