CareSouth Carolina provides $90.2 million impact

CareSouth Carolina provided more than $90.2 million in total economic impact in the Pee Dee area, according to the latest Value & Impact Report from Capital Link.

Capital Link is a non-profit organization that has worked with hundreds of health centers and primary care associates for over 20 years to plan for sustainability and growth, access capital, improve and optimize operations and financial management, and articulate value. Capital Link maintains a database of almost 12,000 health centers nationally in any given year.

“As one goes about the day to day work of CareSouth Carolina, it is easy to lose sight of the economic impact the organization is making on our communities,” CareSouth Carolina CEO Ann Lewis said. “As a health care provider whose mission it is to improve health and wellbeing for everyone, we are also reminded with this study that our impact is not only on health but also on the economic wellbeing of the communities and people we serve.”

According to the report, CareSouth Carolina provided 24 percent lower costs for health center Medicaid patients, resulting in $28 million in savings to Medicaid and $62 million in savings to the overall health system.

The organization served more than 38,631 patients with 198,411 patient visits, which is a 13.5 percent growth in the past four years. Of the patients CareSouth Carolina serves, 68.3 percent of patients are low income, 10,537 of patients are children & adolescents and 62.2 percent of patients identify as ethnic or racial minorities. Veterans make up 2.8 percent of the patient population and 1.2 percent are agricultural workers.

Of the $90.2 million in total economic impact, $50.2 million is direct health care spending and $40.0 million is community spending.

Since 2019, CareSouth Carolina has opened several new facilities, including standalone CSC Community Pharmacies in Society Hill and Hartsville, state-of-the-art medical centers in McColl and Chesterfield, and a Pediatric Dental Office in Bishopville.

CareSouth Carolina is a private, non-profit community health center delivering patient-centered health and life services in the Pee Dee region of South Carolina. CareSouth Carolina operates centers in Bennettsville, Bishopville, Cheraw, Chesterfield, Dillon, Hartsville, Lake View, Latta, McColl and Society Hill.

Services provided by CareSouth Carolina include family practice, internal medicine, pediatrics, women services, OB/GYN, HIV/AIDS primary care, dental, chiropractic services, pharmacy, geriatrics, social services, clinical counseling, laboratory, 4D ultrasound, X-Ray, migrant services and veterans choice provider.