RMC, MUSC Health finalize agreement; 99-year lease of Orangeburg hospital begins

The Medical University Hospital Authority, also known as MUSC Health, and the Regional Medical Center of Orangeburg and Calhoun Counties have finalized a long-term lease and operations agreement.

MUSC Health on Wednesday assumed oversight of all hospital operations and associated ambulatory practices for MUSC Health Orangeburg.

The new relationship includes the hospital in Orangeburg, a freestanding emergency department in Barnwell and affiliated physician practice locations serving communities in Orangeburg, Calhoun and Bamberg counties.

“We are thrilled to partner with our new MUSC family members, and we will work to ensure and elevate the best local care with improved access to some of the more complex care offered only at our tertiary care location in Charleston,” MUSC President Dr. David J. Cole said in a release.

“Together, we’re going to broaden our ability to serve greater numbers of patients, families and neighbors where they live and work, and that is a reason to celebrate,” he said.

MUSC Health says it will work with the local health care community to improve and expand access to advanced medical care in Orangeburg, Calhoun and Bamberg counties by:

• Recruiting physicians, nurses and allied health workers to meet the community’s needs most effectively.

• Developing and applying best practices to improve care delivery and decrease health disparities.

• Implementing and expanding telehealth services and using technology to enhance quality, safety and access to care.

• Offering health care providers and clinical staff training and skill development opportunities.

• Establishing future graduate medical education opportunities.

The change was spurred by last year’s state budget, which contained a proviso calling for a partnership between the state-owned MUSC and RMC, which is owned by Orangeburg and Calhoun counties.

“Our board of trustees worked diligently to explore a potential relationship with MUSC Health. Ultimately, we determined that joining MUSC Health would be beneficial to the community and would improve the health care available to residents,” RMC Board Chairman Dr. Lucius Craig said.

“We are very thankful for the incredible support provided by Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter, our legislative delegation and the Orangeburg and Calhoun county councils in this endeavor. We all had one goal – to provide access to comprehensive, quality health care to our community now and in the future,” he said. “While you will see some changes, such as in the hospital’s name, many of the familiar faces you know and trust will not change.

“MUSC Health has embraced our work family and physicians, and the entire team is excited to show the community what it can accomplish.”

Terms of the transaction include a 99-year lease of the facilities owned by the Regional Medical Center and its affiliates, assumption of other real estate leases and certain operating contracts and the purchase of hospital and ambulatory assets and inventory.

MUSC Health says it’s hiring active employees in good standing at compensation levels generally consistent with current rates and fair market value.

MUSC Health team members are meeting with the administrators at each of the facilities to determine staffing and needs, with the intent to make operations as efficient and successful as possible, maximizing value to patients, families and their respective communities.

“MUSC Health has existing relationships with tRMC, so bringing them fully into our network is another step toward every patient in this community getting the right care, in the right place and at the right time. We anticipate a positive and meaningful relationship that is going to produce sustainable results that these communities will be able to see and feel,” said Dr. Patrick J. Cawley, MUSC Health system CEO and executive vice president of health affairs at MUSC.