Lexington Medical Center achieved Magnet with Distinction recognition as a reflection of its nursing professionalism, teamwork, and superiority in patient care. 

“Achieving Magnet with Distinction recognizes the exemplary care that our nurses provide to our friends, families and neighbors every day. This honor places Lexington Medical Center among the highest performing Magnet organizations in the world,” said Tod Augsburger, president and CEO at Lexington Medical Center. “Currently, only 13 hospitals in the U.S. have achieved this prestigious recognition, and we’re proud to be the first  hospital in South Carolina to receive it.”

The American Nurses Credentialing Center’s (ANCC) Magnet with Distinction Recognition Program distinguishes organizations that not only meet but exceed the rigorous standards for nursing excellence. With this credential, Lexington Medical Center joins the global community of Magnet with Distinction recognized organizations. 

“Lexington Medical Center is proud to achieve Magnet with Distinction recognition, and it shows our culture of excellence that we serve our community with daily,” says Melissa Taylor, Lexington Medical Center Chief Nursing Officer. “This status shows Lexington Medical Center’s commitment to excellent quality outcomes, an outstanding nursing staff, and our mission to provide the Midlands with quality health services that meet the needs of our communities. 

Just a small and select group of health care organizations have achieved Magnet with Distinction recognition.  

Research demonstrates that Magnet organizations provide specific benefits to health care organizations and their communities, such as:

• Higher patient satisfaction with nurse communication, availability of help 
  and receipt of discharge information.
• Lower risk of 30-day mortality and lower failure to rescue rates.
• Higher job satisfaction among nurses.
• Lower nurse reports of intentions to leave their positions.

Magnet with Distinction is a prestigious credential of nursing quality and confidence. For patients, this credential identifies organizations with satisfied nurses and safe, high-quality care. 

The Magnet Model provides a framework for nursing practice, research, and measurement of outcomes. Through this framework, ANCC evaluates applicants across a number of components and dimensions to gauge an organization’s nursing excellence. The core components are transformational leadership, structural empowerment, exemplary professional practice, new knowledge, innovations and improvements and empirical quality results.

The foundation of this model comprises various elements deemed essential to delivering superior patient care. These include the quality of nursing leadership and coordination and collaboration across specialties, as well as processes for measuring and improving the quality and delivery of care.