A Regional Solution to a Healthcare Desert: Freestanding Emergency Center

About the Program

Category: Health (Best in Category)

Year: 2019

The vision for the Bamberg-Barnwell Regional Free-Standing Emergency Center project was born out of a confluence of circumstances that left the Greater Salkehatchie Region without access to healthcare. The Bamberg County Hospital closed in April 2012 and Barnwell County's Southern Palmetto Hospital closed its doors in January 2016. Desperate to bring access to quality healthcare to their citizens, Bamberg and Barnwell county councils and community leaders began reaching out to other healthcare providers both separately and together to find a solution. Recognizing that the region had become a “healthcare desert”, local leaders recognized it was unlikely that any small rural county, like Bamberg and Barnwell, would have the ability to build and sustain a stand-alone, full-service hospital and that larger hospital systems were not interested in an investment which had little chance of even a slight Return on Investment. After much research and discussion, the idea of a standalone, 24-hour emergency center became the most viable solution. This concept quickly gained acceptance by the leadership team that had formed, because of its scalability – it would begin as a free-standing emergency center but could later expand to allow for a broader medical campus. Recently, the media has brought to light the severity of the opioid crisis and its prevalence in designated “Promise Zones” as well as the need for more avenues to address mental health issues.The infrastructure built for the Bamberg-Barnwell Emergency Center will have a much broader impact in that it also lays the groundwork for future economic growth in an area of the county that previously had little to no utility infrastructure. Communication infrastructure will also enhance broadband/internet capabilities in the region which have long been lacking and are increasingly necessary for today’s educational and economic opportunities. Water, sewer and electrical infrastructure make it more attractive to industries.