Myrtle Beach, SC – Grand Strand Medical Center was, once again, named as one of the nation’s top performing hospitals by Fortune and IBM® Watson Health® for inpatient cardiovascular services.

This year’s study included 980 U.S. hospitals with cardiovascular service lines. Based on comparisons between the study winners and a peer group of similar hospitals in the study, the winners delivered better outcomes while operating more efficiently and at a lower cost.

“To be chosen as a top cardiovascular hospital for the third time is an extraordinary accomplishment for Grand Strand Medical Center. Our advanced heart and vascular care services have allowed us to continue to provide exceptional care close to home and across the region. It also shows the commitment to excellence by our cardiologists, intensivists, cath lab, EP, CVICU, emergency room physicians and nursing staff. Each and every colleague associated with our cardiovascular program has done a remarkable job” said Dr. Randy Goodroe, interventional cardiologist at Grand Strand Medical Center.

Extrapolating the results of this year’s study, if all Medicare inpatients received the same level of care as those treated in the award-winning facilities:

  • More than 7,000 additional lives could be saved
  • More than 5,000 heart patients could be complication-free
  • More than $1.6 billion in inpatient costs could be saved

’Heart disease still remains the leading cause of death for all Americans and has a disproportionate impact on communities of color, rural populations and other underserved groups. In this light, cardiovascular care with an emphasis on health equity is essential,’ said Kyu Rhee, Chief Health Officer, IBM Watson Health. ’The exceptional organizations on the Fortune/IBM Watson Health 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals list are setting the standard for high quality, efficient, patient-centric care for heart disease. We believe that these top institutions are leading the effort to enhance and evolve the way we treat and prevent this disease.’

The annual Fortune/IBM 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals study spotlights leading short-term, acute care, non-federal US hospitals that treat a broad spectrum of cardiology patients. The study is designed to identify impartial, actionable, and attainable benchmarks for hospital and clinical leaders as they work to raise their own organizations’ standards of performance in cardiac care.

The annual report highlights the top-performing cardiovascular hospitals in the U.S. based on a balanced scorecard of publicly available clinical, operational, and patient satisfaction metrics and data.

View the complete 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals list.