NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — Southcoast Health today announced that Becker's Hospital Review has named Southcoast Hospitals Group to the 2016 edition of its list, “100 hospitals and health systems with great neurosurgery and spine programs.” Southcoast Hospitals Group is one of only six hospitals or health systems in all of New England to be included on the list; and this is the second time in four years that Southcoast Hospitals Group has been recognized for this distinction.

“I’m incredibly thankful for the excellent work which is done in our Brain and Spine Center on a daily basis,” said Dr. Richard Miller, Physician-in-Chief of the Surgical Care Center at Southcoast Health. “Being named to this list by Becker’s is a public recognition of what we know internally: the right physician leaders can drive clinical excellence. Under the leadership of Dr. Matthew Philips, we have developed an integrated program which I agree is one of the best in New England.”

According to Becker’s Hospital Review, the hospitals and health systems on this year's list are national forerunners in neuroscience, providing treatment for patients suffering from various conditions and injuries pertaining to the brain and spine.

To develop this list, Becker's Hospital Review selected hospitals for inclusion based on national rankings and awards garnered for superior outcomes in neurosurgery, neurological care and spine surgery. Becker’s Hospital Review’s team examined U.S. News & World Report national rankings for neurology and neurosurgery; CareChex national and regional rankings for neurological care, neurosurgery and spine surgery; Blue Distinction Center for Spine Surgery designation; Healthgrades awards for spine surgery, neurosurgery, cranial neurosurgery and stroke care; and Magnet designation for nursing excellence. Becker's Hospital Review notes that hospitals cannot pay for inclusion on the list.

“Receiving this distinction for a second time in four years reconfirms the dedication of our staff to our mission at the Southcoast Brain and Spine Center,” said Dr. Matthew Philips, Director of the Southcoast Brain and Spine Center. “That mission has always been to provide our community with the highest quality care in the most efficient and compassionate manner.”

Other New England-based hospitals and health systems to make the list in 2016 include Boston Children’s Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, University of Vermont Medical Center and Yale-New Haven Hospital. To see the complete list, visit www.beckershospitalreview.com/lists/100-hospital-and-health-systems-with-great-neurosurgery-and-spine-programs-2016.

Southcoast Health’s neurology program has recently been recognized as a Top 100 Hospital by CareChex, designated as a Blue Cross Blue Shield Center of Distinction, named a five-star recipient for treatment of stroke by Healthgrades for five years in a row (2012-2016), and recognized by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association with the Get With the Guidelines-Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award in 2015.

“I am honored to be recognized as a part of one of the top neurosurgery programs in the country,” said Dr. Alvin Marcovici, Director of Neurosurgery at Southcoast Health. “I am also humbled by the very hard work performed by our nurses, office personnel and hospital staff. This recognition goes to them as much as to the surgeons. Being acknowledged twice in the past four years only shows the consistent hard work done by the Southcoast Brain and Spine team. We are extremely proud to be held in the same company as Baylor Hospital in Houston, Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles, The Cleveland Clinic, Duke and Johns Hopkins. We are equally proud of providing the same world-class care to our local community.”

Through Charlton Memorial Hospital in Fall River and St. Luke’s Hospital in New Bedford, Southcoast Health neurosurgeons perform more than 700 procedures every year, making it the leading provider of neurosurgical services in the region.

Southcoast Health neurosurgeons specialize in the medical and surgical care of people with brain and nervous system diseases or disorders; performing surgery on the back, neck, brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerves to treat tumors, congenital abnormalities, and peripheral and central nervous system disorders.

To learn more about the Southcoast Health neurosurgery program, visit www.southcoast.org/services/surgical-services/neurosurgery.