Personal Injury Attorney in Conway, SC.

CONWAY, SC (WMBF) - Conway Medical Center is receiving national attention for how it cares for children during a crisis.

CMC received an Advanced Pediatric Ready Emergency Department accreditation, making it the third hospital in the state to earn the designation.

The accreditation follows a two-year process in which surveyors evaluated the hospital’s staffing, training, equipment and specialized protocols, all focused on the unique needs of children.

As a result, the hospital added a children’s waiting room and a dedicated pediatric emergency space.

Maile Swanson, a registered nurse, said the new environment makes care more comfortable for patients and their families.

“It’s definitely been more welcoming, the kids are feeling more comfortable,” Swanson said. “Coming into the doctor’s office, everybody remembers as a kid, it’s not the most fun thing, it’s kind of scary, especially for the parents too. So having a welcoming environment definitely brings more smiling faces and more comfortable with us.”

The hospital also got new equipment, including a color-coded crash cart, an emergency go pack and a mobile PANDA machine that provides heat, monitoring and respiratory support for newborns.

Swanson said the portable equipment has changed how staff respond to emergencies.

“Having portable equipment has been a game-changer for us,” Swanson said. “Having everything on the go makes us so much faster in our responses and makes the care better for our patients.”

Swanson said she has noticed an increase in patients coming to the hospital since it received the accreditation. She said staff preparedness has improved the overall care environment.

“When you’re prepared as a staff member, and our other staff members are prepared, it makes a fantastic environment to take care of these children,” Swanson said. “When every staff member knows where their equipment is, what their jobs are, it makes the job as a whole much smoother, so it makes us more confident in our care.”

Research shows hospitals with high levels of pediatric readiness have a 76 percent lower mortality rate for critically ill children and a 60 percent lower mortality rate for injured children.

Feel more informed, prepared, and connected with WMBF. For more free content like this, Have feedback that can help us improve?

North Myrtle Beach 4 Conway 0

North Myrtle Beach picked up a 4 to 0 win over Conway on Tuesday behind a dominant showing on the mound. Gabe Priest led the way with 11 strikeouts across five plus shutout innings before Sawyer Smith closed it out to secure the combined shutout. The Chiefs broke through in the third and stayed in control with steady offense and clean defense. Evan Steudl paced the lineup with two hits as North Myrtle Beach totaled nine hits in the win.

+ Interested in attending an upcoming event? CLICK HERE

+ Interested in a Prep Baseball Subscription? CLICK HERE

One of the top uncommitted arms in the class. Got the ball for the Chiefs in the region opener and was the star of the show. Went 5 ⅓ shutout innings while fanning 11 hitters. While the velo was 84-85 throughout which for him is a tick down, the stuff did not disappoint. SL is a true out pitch, but also showed the ability to flip it in early counts as well. FB has life to it and is the pitch he leans on. Command of both pitches were on high display, especially after the 1st inning in which he had 2 BB. A lot to like in the 6’2 195 lb frame. Uptick in velo should come later into the spring.

2026 LHP Gabe Priest @GabrielPriest8 @NMBAthleticsGreat early season look at the senior southpaw. Worked around early traffic but settled in nicely. Lived in the zone all night with FB/SL mix. Great feel for SL which got a lot of S/M late in outing. A few of his… pic.twitter.com/utWYd90Ibl

— Prep Baseball South Carolina (@PrepBaseball_SC) March 18, 2026

Sawyer Smith 2026 SS/RHP North Mrytle Beach