Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC Health) http://muschealth.org has signed an alliance with the Hampton Regional Medical Center (HRMC) http://www.hamptonregional.org to help transform how rural healthcare is delivered in South Carolina.
MUSC Health owns and operates eight hospitals in the state, has 1,600 beds, more than 100 outreach sites, the MUSC College of Medicine, physicians’ practice plans, and nearly 275 telehealth locations.
HRMC is a 32 bed hospital with on-site emergency care, state-of-the-art diagnostic imaging services, laboratory, surgery, and provides rehabilitation. The hospital campus includes Coastal Plains Physician Associates and Primary Care, which offers primary care medicine, general surgery, orthopedics, cardiology, and radiology. In addition HRMC works with physician specialists from around the state to provide on-site appointments in neurology, ophthalmology, and oncology
HRMC is Hampton County’s sole not-for-profit hospital and is equipped with state-of-the-art technology. HRMC physicians and advanced practitioners including nurse practitioners and physician assistants, now work alongside MUSC via telehealth and use satellite clinics to further improve the level of care delivery at HRMC.
MUSC and HRMC plan to expand primary and specialty care to serve Hampton County and surrounding areas by utilizing the combination of advanced practitioners, latest telehealth services, and supportive oversight by MUSC specialists.
Outmigration is a term used to describe rural residents who leave their communities for healthcare needs which may be necessary when an advance level of care is required. The shift of community residents away from their hometown hospitals takes a heavy toll on the financial stability and viability of rural health facilities. MUSC hopes to remedy outmigration and retain significantly more care locally by fully using telehealth technologies.