By admin 
In an effort to improve health care access in South Carolina’s rural areas, the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services .
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The one-time dollars, which were provided through the federal Rural Health Transformation Program, is aimed at programs that will provide high impact, sustainable healthcare initiatives.
The state agency is aiming to use the federal dollars to “remove systemic challenges and build infrastructure and long-term capacity through facility modernization, technology upgrades and workforce development.”
“Every South Carolinian should have access to quality health care close to home, no matter where they live,” said Gov. Henry McMaster. “South Carolina is working to ensure rural communities have the resources they need to provide that care, and this is another important step in strengthening health care across our state.”
Among the grant recipients, the state gave $4.3 million to the state’s department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities to expand its mobile crisis response program across the state.
The state is using $44.9 million to modernize health IT systems in the state, which includes spending $6.8 million at the SC Department of Corrections.
SC Health and Human Services received 712 applications for the money, and selected recipients using federal Medicare and Medicaid scoring process.
“We are proud of the strong interest and innovative ideas brought forth to strengthen rural health,” said the state agency’s Director Eunice Medina. “This funding will help bring these ideas to life and make a lasting difference in rural communities for years to come.”
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The grant program had four initiatives:
- Expand remote patient care and modernize health IT infrastructure.
- Expanding chronic disease care
- Expanding community care sites and the state’s mobile crisis response.
- Enhancing facilities and workforce development.
“This is about more than improving healthcare infrastructure — it’s about reimagining care, removing barriers to care, and ensuring our neighbors have access to high-quality healthcare close to home, while building a stronger and more sustainable future for our community,” said John Snow, CEO of Newberry Health.
The grants were given to a mixture of large health care providers such as Prisma Health and Self Regional, but also smaller providers such as Joseph H. Neal Health Collaborative and the Edisto Indian Free Clinic.
McLeod Health in Dillon received money for a specialized obstetrical surgical robot to improve outcomes for mothers and babies in complicated deliveries.
Prisma Health received $7.7 million for a mixture of facility enhancements, remote patient monitoring, a chronic disease care program and expanding community care sites at several locations throughout the state, according to the SC HHS.
Lovelace Family Medicine in Prosperity received more than $1 million to modernize its health care IT, enhance its facility and develop its healthcare workforce.
“The foundation of healthcare is access to quality, comprehensive and preventive primary medical care,” said Dr. Oscar Lovelace, the founder of Lovelace Family Medicine. “If South Carolina hopes to improve health outcomes, we must start by transforming rural healthcare. This grant program will leverage local rural public-private partnerships and build healthier communities.”
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