CLARENDON MEMORIAL HOSPITAL EARNED BLUE DISTINCTION CENTERS

by | Nov 15, 2017

Clarendon Memorial Hospital has been named as one of only 25 hospitals in South Carolina to earn the Blue Distinction Centers designation for delivery quality, affordable maternity care from BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina and BlueChoice HealthPlan.

“Research shows that compared to other facilities, those designated as Blue Distinction Centers demonstrate better quality and improved outcomes for patients,” said BlueCross Vice President and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Shawn Stinson. “On average, Blue Distinction Centers are also 20 percent more cost-efficent than non-Blue Distinction Center-designated health care facilities. We congratulate these hospitals for meeting rigorous criteria.”
Nearly 4 million babies are born in the U.S. annually, according to BlueCross, making childbirth the most common cause of hospitalization. The new Blue Distinction Centers for Maternity Care program evaluates hospitals on several quality measures, including the percentage of newborns that fall into the category of early elective delivery, an ongoing concern in the medical community.

Generations, the labor and delivery unit of Clarendon Memorial Hospital, delivers more than 400 babies annually, with many parents coming from Shaw Air Force Base and Sumter and Williamsburg counties.
“Our team prides itself in creating a birthing experience for the mother and family that is second to none,” said Clarendon Health System Director of Women’s and Infants’ Services Debi Love-Fralix, a registered nurse. “From our spacious birthing suites to the area’s best medical providers, we want to be a part of a family’s greatest celebration – the birth of a child.”
Clarendon Health System acting CEO and COO Paul Schumacher said that Clarendon Memorial is “setting the standard for what families deserve to receive when they come to Clarendon Memorial Hospital – high quality, affordable maternity, which is delivered by an outstanding and compassionate medical team.”
“More than ever, we know people have a choice, and we are grateful that they are putting their trust in us,” Schumacher said.

Clarendon County Economic Development