Acute Care Hospitals · Voluntary non-profit - Private
MUSC Health Columbia Medical Center Downtown
- 2435 Forest Drive, Columbia, SC 29204
- (803) 256-5300
- Acute Care Hospitals
- Emergency services available 24/7
At a glance
MUSC Health Columbia Medical Center Downtown carries a 3-star CMS overall rating — in line with the national norm. On healthcare-associated infection measures, it performs better than the national average on 6 and worse on 0.
Healthcare-Associated Infections
lower is better · 36 measures reported
Rates of infections patients can acquire while receiving care, such as central-line and catheter-associated infections, MRSA, and C. difficile.
| Measure | Score | Compared to national |
|---|---|---|
| Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection (ICU + select Wards): Lower Confidence Limit | 0.015 | Same as national |
| Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection (ICU + select Wards): Upper Confidence Limit | 1.479 | Same as national |
| Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection: Number of Device Days | 4148 | Same as national |
| Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection (ICU + select Wards): Predicted Cases | 3.334 | Same as national |
| Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection (ICU + select Wards): Observed Cases | 1 | Same as national |
| Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection (ICU + select Wards) | 0.300 | Same as national |
| Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (ICU + select Wards): Lower Confidence Limit | 0.348 | Same as national |
| Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (ICU + select Wards): Upper Confidence Limit | 2.643 | Same as national |
| Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (ICU + select Wards): Number of Urinary Catheter Days | 4754 | Same as national |
| Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (ICU + select Wards): Predicted Cases | 3.650 | Same as national |
| Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (ICU + select Wards): Observed Cases | 4 | Same as national |
| Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (ICU + select Wards) | 1.096 | Same as national |
| SSI - Colon Surgery: Lower Confidence Limit | 0.076 | Same as national |
| SSI - Colon Surgery: Upper Confidence Limit | 1.500 | Same as national |
| SSI - Colon Surgery: Number of Procedures | 163 | Same as national |
| SSI - Colon Surgery: Predicted Cases | 4.406 | Same as national |
| SSI - Colon Surgery: Observed Cases | 2 | Same as national |
| SSI - Colon Surgery | 0.454 | Same as national |
| SSI - Abdominal Hysterectomy: Lower Confidence Limit | — | Not available |
| SSI - Abdominal Hysterectomy: Upper Confidence Limit | — | Not available |
| SSI - Abdominal Hysterectomy: Number of Procedures | 12 | Not available |
| SSI - Abdominal Hysterectomy: Predicted Cases | 0.106 | Not available |
| SSI - Abdominal Hysterectomy: Observed Cases | 0 | Not available |
| SSI - Abdominal Hysterectomy | — | Not available |
| MRSA Bacteremia: Lower Confidence Limit | 0.277 | Same as national |
| MRSA Bacteremia: Upper Confidence Limit | 2.961 | Same as national |
| MRSA Bacteremia: Patient Days | 51938 | Same as national |
| MRSA Bacteremia: Predicted Cases | 2.757 | Same as national |
| MRSA Bacteremia: Observed Cases | 3 | Same as national |
| MRSA Bacteremia | 1.088 | Same as national |
| Clostridium Difficile (C.Diff): Lower Confidence Limit | 0.214 | Better than national |
| Clostridium Difficile (C.Diff): Upper Confidence Limit | 0.707 | Better than national |
| Clostridium Difficile (C.Diff): Patient Days | 51938 | Better than national |
| Clostridium Difficile (C.Diff): Predicted Cases | 27.031 | Better than national |
| Clostridium Difficile (C.Diff): Observed Cases | 11 | Better than national |
| Clostridium Difficile (C.Diff) | 0.407 | Better than national |
Complications & Deaths
lower is better · 20 measures reported
Rates of serious complications (like hip/knee replacement problems or accidental cuts during surgery) and 30-day mortality rates for common conditions.
| Measure | Score | Compared to national | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rate of complications for hip/knee replacement patients | 3.4 | Same as national | 126 |
| Hybrid Hospital-Wide All-Cause Risk Standardized Mortality Rate | 4.3 | Same as national | 1483 |
| Death rate for heart attack patients | 12.9 | Same as national | 262 |
| Death rate for CABG surgery patients | 2.5 | Same as national | 189 |
| Death rate for COPD patients | 10.3 | Same as national | 89 |
| Death rate for heart failure patients | 12.4 | Same as national | 389 |
| Death rate for pneumonia patients | 16.7 | Same as national | 219 |
| Death rate for stroke patients | 12.1 | Same as national | 102 |
| Pressure ulcer rate | 1.56 | Worse than national | 3495 |
| Death rate among surgical inpatients with serious treatable complications | 164.98 | Same as national | 40 |
| Iatrogenic pneumothorax rate | 0.33 | Same as national | 4900 |
| In-hospital fall-associated fracture rate | 0.26 | Same as national | 5262 |
| Postoperative hemorrhage or hematoma rate | 2.25 | Same as national | 1531 |
| Postoperative acute kidney injury requiring dialysis rate | 1.68 | Same as national | 780 |
| Postoperative respiratory failure rate | 5.96 | Same as national | 801 |
| Perioperative pulmonary embolism or deep vein thrombosis rate | 4.56 | Same as national | 1598 |
| Postoperative sepsis rate | 6.32 | Same as national | 776 |
| Postoperative wound dehiscence rate | 1.69 | Same as national | 206 |
| Abdominopelvic accidental puncture or laceration rate | 0.89 | Same as national | 709 |
| CMS Medicare PSI 90: Patient safety and adverse events composite | 1.27 | Same as national | — |
Unplanned Hospital Visits & Readmissions
lower is better · 14 measures reported
How often patients return to the hospital unexpectedly within 30 days of discharge — a marker of care quality and discharge planning.
| Measure | Score | Compared to national | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hospital return days for heart attack patients | 5.8 | Not available | 311 |
| Hospital return days for heart failure patients | -15.4 | Not available | 447 |
| Hospital return days for pneumonia patients | 35.9 | Not available | 247 |
| Hybrid Hospital-Wide All-Cause Readmission Measure (HWR) | 14.9 | Same as national | 2263 |
| Rate of unplanned hospital visits after colonoscopy (per 1,000 colonoscopies) | 13.6 | Same as national | 180 |
| Rate of inpatient admissions for patients receiving outpatient chemotherapy | — | Not available | — |
| Rate of emergency department (ED) visits for patients receiving outpatient chemotherapy | — | Not available | — |
| Ratio of unplanned hospital visits after hospital outpatient surgery | 1 | Same as national | 678 |
| Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) 30-Day Readmission Rate | 13.4 | Same as national | 311 |
| Rate of readmission for CABG | 9.4 | Same as national | 184 |
| Rate of readmission for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients | 16.4 | Same as national | 98 |
| Heart failure (HF) 30-Day Readmission Rate | 19.2 | Same as national | 447 |
| Rate of readmission after hip/knee replacement | 3.7 | Same as national | 123 |
| Pneumonia (PN) 30-Day Readmission Rate | 16.4 | Same as national | 247 |
Patient Experience (HCAHPS)
higher is better · 9 measures reported
What patients say about their hospital stay — communication with nurses and doctors, responsiveness, cleanliness, pain management, and whether they would recommend the hospital.
| Measure | Score | Sample |
|---|---|---|
| Nurse communication - star rating | 3 | 892 |
| Doctor communication - star rating | 3 | 892 |
| Communication about medicines - star rating | 2 | 892 |
| Discharge information - star rating | 3 | 892 |
| Cleanliness - star rating | 3 | 892 |
| Quietness - star rating | 4 | 892 |
| Overall hospital rating - star rating | 3 | 892 |
| Recommend hospital - star rating | 3 | 892 |
| Summary star rating | 3 | 892 |
Timely & Effective Care
higher is better (unless a wait time) · 30 measures reported
How consistently hospitals follow recommended care processes — for example, giving heart-attack patients aspirin on arrival, or the average time spent in the emergency department.
| Measure | Score | Sample |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency department volume | very high | — |
| Global Malnutrition Composite Score | — | — |
| Global Malnutrition Composite Score: Malnutrition Diagnosis Documented | — | — |
| Global Malnutrition Composite Score: Malnutrition Risk Screening | — | — |
| Global Malnutrition Composite Score: Nutrition Assessment | — | — |
| Global Malnutrition Composite Score: Nutritional Care Plan | — | — |
| Hospital Harm - Severe Hyperglycemia | — | — |
| Hospital Harm - Severe Hypoglycemia | — | — |
| Hospital Harm - Opioid Related Adverse Events | — | — |
| Healthcare workers given influenza vaccination | 79 | 1717 |
| Average (median) time all patients spent in the emergency department before leaving from the visit, including psychiatric/mental health patients and patients who were transferred to another facility. A lower number of minutes is better | 138 | 402 |
| Average (median) time patients spent in the emergency department before leaving from the visit, excluding patients transferred to another facility or psychiatric care/mental health patients. A lower number of minutes is better | 138 | 388 |
| Average (median) time psychiatric/mental health patients spent in the emergency department before leaving from the visit. A lower number of minutes is better | — | — |
| Average (median) time patients spent in the emergency department before being transferred to another facility. A lower number of minutes is better | — | — |
| Left before being seen | 0 | 74223 |
| Head CT results | — | — |
| Endoscopy/polyp surveillance: appropriate follow-up interval for normal colonoscopy in average risk patients | 94 | 105 |
| Improvement in Patient's Visual Function within 90 Days Following Cataract Surgery | — | — |
| ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) | — | — |
| Safe Use of Opioids - Concurrent Prescribing | 17 | 1816 |
| Appropriate care for severe sepsis and septic shock | 49 | 76 |
| Septic Shock 3-Hour Bundle | 56 | 16 |
| Septic Shock 6-Hour Bundle | — | — |
| Severe Sepsis 3-Hour Bundle | 63 | 76 |
| Severe Sepsis 6-Hour Bundle | 93 | 30 |
| Discharged on Antithrombotic Therapy | 96 | 126 |
| Anticoagulation Therapy for Atrial Fibrillation/Flutter | — | — |
| Antithrombotic Therapy by End of Hospital Day 2 | — | — |
| Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis | 84 | 4313 |
| Intensive Care Unit Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis | 87 | 827 |
Maternal Health
lower is better · 4 measures reported
Measures of maternal outcomes and safe delivery practices, including severe complications during childbirth.
| Measure | Score | Sample |
|---|---|---|
| Cesarean Birth | — | — |
| Risk Adjusted Severe Obstetric Complications (All) | — | — |
| Risk Adjusted Severe Obstetric Complications (excluding blood-transfusion-only cases) | — | — |
| Maternal Morbidity Structural Measure | Not Applicable (our hospital does not provide inpatient labor/delivery care) | — |
Frequently asked questions
- How is MUSC Health Columbia Medical Center Downtown rated?
- MUSC Health Columbia Medical Center Downtown has a 3 out of 5 CMS overall star rating as of the latest CMS release.
- Does MUSC Health Columbia Medical Center Downtown have emergency services?
- Yes. MUSC Health Columbia Medical Center Downtown operates a 24/7 emergency department.
- Where is MUSC Health Columbia Medical Center Downtown located?
- MUSC Health Columbia Medical Center Downtown is located at 2435 Forest Drive, Columbia, SC 29204.
- What type of hospital is MUSC Health Columbia Medical Center Downtown?
- MUSC Health Columbia Medical Center Downtown is classified by CMS as a Acute Care Hospitals facility (Voluntary non-profit - Private).
Compare with nearby hospitals
Data as of 2026-06-14. Source: CMS Provider Data Catalog. This is public data provided for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. See our methodology and editorial policy.