Grand Strand Health named among America's best hospitals for multiple surgeries
Myrtle Beach, SC — Grand Strand Health announced today that it has achieved numerous distinctions for exceptional clinical performance from Healthgrades, the #1 site Americans use when searching for a doctor or hospital. Among Grand Strand Health’s recognitions are four Specialty Excellence Awards, which place the hospital among the top 10% nationwide for vascular, orthopedic, spine, and gastrointestinal surgery. Grand Strand Health is also five-star rated for 14 services, including total hip replacement, treatment of heart failure, defibrillator procedures, pacemaker procedures, hip fracture treatment, spinal fusion surgery, back surgery, cranial neurosurgery, treatment of stroke, carotid procedures, gallbladder removal surgery, treatment of sepsis, treatment of respiratory failure, and treatment of diabetic hospitalizations.
In addition to these national honors, Grand Strand Health was ranked #1 in South Carolina for vascular surgery, #2 in South Carolina for gastrointestinal surgery, #3 in South Carolina for gastrointestinal care, and #5 in South Carolina for critical care. These achievements further affirm Grand Strand Health’s status as a premier destination for specialty care and underscore the organization’s longstanding commitment to excellent patient care.
“We’re honored to be recognized by Healthgrades for the exceptional work happening across our hospital,” said Dr. George Helmrich, chief medical officer at Grand Strand Health. “These achievements are the result of a true team effort and our shared mission to serve this community with excellence and compassion.”
Grand Strand Health’s achievements are based solely on what matters most: patient outcomes. Each year, Healthgrades evaluates risk-adjusted mortality and complication rates for over 30 common conditions and procedures at approximately 4,500 hospitals nationwide to identify the top hospitals in key specialty areas. Through easy-to-understand, objective measures of hospital performance, Healthgrades empowers patients with the information they need to find a hospital that excels in their procedure or condition.
As performance gaps persist between the nation’s highest- and lowest-achieving facilities, seeking care at a top program has never been more important. Healthgrades’ 2026 analysis revealed that if all hospitals, as a group, performed similarly to five-star hospitals during the 2022 - 2024 study period, on average, 230,466 lives could have been saved and 156,797 complications could have been avoided.*
“Healthgrades’ specialty awards identify the nation’s top-performing hospitals in key service areas, helping consumers find high quality care tailored to their specific needs,” said Alana Biggers, MD, MPH, medical advisor at Healthgrades. “We’re proud to recognize Grand Strand Health for its consistently superior outcomes in key service areas, including cardiovascular, orthopedics, neurosciences, gastrointestinal, and critical care.”
Consumers can visit Healthgrades’ Specialty Excellence Patient Advocate Center to learn more about how Healthgrades identifies the top-performing hospitals for specialty care.
*Statistics are based on Healthgrades analysis of MedPAR data for years 2022 through 2024 and represent three-year estimates for Medicare patients only. To view the complete 2026 Specialty Awards and Ratings Methodology visit the Healthgrades webpage.