MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital ranked No. 2 in nation for Cardiology & Heart Surgery

Heart program remains No. 1 in patient outcomes

CHARLESTON, S.C. (Oct. 8, 2024)– MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital (SJCH) remains South Carolina’s only children’s hospital to make U.S. News & World Report’s latest Best Children’s Hospitals rankings, and the pediatric Cardiology & Heart Surgery specialty achieved No. 2 in the nation this year – up from No. 4 the past two years.

“We are proud of our No. 2 national ranking. It is well-deserved and demonstrates that the families in South Carolina and the entire Southeast region have access to some of the best pediatric care in the nation,” said Mark A. Scheurer, M.D., MUSC chief of Children’s and Women’s Services. “Providing care for a complex heart patient requires a comprehensive team, and this remarkable accomplishment indicates that Cardiology and Heart Surgery, along with our other subspecialty programs, are consistently performing at the highest level.”

The MUSC Health Pediatric and Congenital Heart Center remains No. 1 in outcomes, marking the second time in three years that the center has achieved this ranking.

This is the 17th consecutive year that the Cardiology & Heart Surgery program has made the U.S. News list of Best Children’s Hospitals. Criteria included patient survival rate after complex heart surgeries; the number and expertise of specialized staff, such as board-certified specialists and certified nurses; the availability of specialized services and advanced technologies; and the hospital’s ability to prevent infections.

In addition, the hospital ranked in four specialties on the national list and is tied for No. 13 in the Southeast's Best Children’s Hospitals survey.

The highly recognized specialties for MUSC SJCH include the following national rankings:

The MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital’s Nephrology program made a remarkable leap, climbing an impressive 24 spots to No. 24 this year. The Gastroenterology & GI Surgery program also saw a significant improvement, jumping from No. 50 last year to No. 30 this year. Meanwhile, the Cancer Program saw a decline from last year's ranking of No. 26 to No. 38 this year.

U.S. News & World Report issues the annual rankings “to help families with complex and rare conditions find the best medical care for their children,” according to the publication’s website. The rankings are designed to steer parents and caregivers to the hospitals that are best equipped to treat their children.

“The recognition from U.S. News & World Report begins with our dedicated care team members at MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital, who continue to deliver exceptional care to our patients and their families,” said Patrick J. Cawley, M.D., MUSC Health CEO and executive vice president for Health Affairs, University. “Our team is committed to using the most advanced tools to foster innovation and produce exceptional outcomes for our youngest patients.”

A critical benchmark measured by U.S. News is patient outcomes. Six of 11 MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital programs placed in the top 50 nationally for outcomes, including:

No. 1: Cardiology & Heart Surgery.
No. 22: Gastroenterology & GI Surgery.
No. 26: Nephrology.
No. 36: Cancer.
No. 36: Diabetes & Endocrinology.
No. 48: Orthopedics.

For the third year, U.S. News featured regional rankings, and MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital tied at No. 13 out of 63 facilities in the highly competitive Southeast region. All four of MUSC Health’s nationally recognized pediatric specialties ranked in the top 10:

No. 1: Cardiology & Heart Surgery.
No. 2: Nephrology.
No. 3: Gastroenterology & GI surgery.
No. 8: Cancer.

The current methodology combines clinical and operational data; results from a reputational survey of board-certified pediatric specialists; and supplemental information from resources, such as the National Cancer Institute. RTI International collects and analyzes the data for the rankings. The methodology reflects clinical outcomes, such as patient survival, infection rates and complications; the level and quality of hospital resources directly related to patient care, such as staffing, technology and special services; delivery of health care, such as programs that adhere to best practices and prevent infections; and expert opinion among pediatric specialists. Each year, there are adjustments to the methodology that may affect hospital rankings. This year saw an increase in the commitment to best practices and the equity, diversity and inclusion scores and the addition of pediatric and adolescent Behavioral Health as a ranked specialty.

About the MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital and Pearl Tourville Women’s Pavilion

The MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital (SJCH) consists of 250 beds and opened in February 2020 as a replacement facility for the MUSC Children’s Hospital built in the late 1980s and formerly located on Ashley Avenue. More than 200 care team members, MUSC leaders, administrators and family and patient representatives were instrumental in the concept, design and building of this facility. By providing the most advanced pediatric care possible in more than 26 specialty areas, in person or through a robust telehealth network, SJCH includes a Level 1 trauma center and Emergency Department, the state’s only pediatric burn center and solid-organ and bone marrow transplant programs, the state’s largest Level 4 neonatal intensive care unit, an advanced maternal fetal medicine center and a top-2 ranked U.S. News & World Report children’s Cardiology & Heart Surgery program, which functions through a nationally unique statewide collaboration of pediatric heart surgeons and cardiologists.

Housed within the SJCH, the Pearl Tourville Women’s Pavilion (PTWP) seamlessly integrates children’s care and obstetrical services, thereby enhancing safety and improving outcomes in high-risk pregnancies. We understand that everyone plans for a healthy, normal birth, and for those who have that outcome, we want them to enjoy our top-notch labor and delivery care. Not all families have this opportunity, and they, too, deserve a place of compassion, expertise and excellent care. Working collaboratively with the advanced maternal fetal care center for families expecting babies with complex congenital birth defects and medical problems, PTWP care providers are one of only a handful of teams in the country able to offer couplet-care rooms, where newborns and mothers can recover together in an intensive-care setting.