FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
May 14, 2024

COLUMBIA, S.C. — As National Hospital Week (May 12-18) is recognized across the country, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) praises South Carolina’s hospitals and healthcare workers for their courageous and caring roles in protecting people’s health. Healthcare workers are a fundamental part of DHEC’s vision to support healthy people living in healthy communities. 

South Carolina currently has 108 licensed hospitals staffed with nurses, doctors, practitioners and a variety of staff members who provide medical care and services to patients. 

“We are fortunate to have exceptional hospitals across South Carolina that provide invaluable care to our state’s 5 million residents,” said Dr. Edward Simmer, DHEC Director. “Hospitals and the healthcare workers who staff them play a vital role in protecting and improving the health and safety of South Carolinians, and we thank them for the critical and reliable services they provide every day.” 

While healthcare professionals and support staff work on the frontlines to provide essential services to South Carolinians, DHEC has an important responsibility to ensure the state’s healthcare facilities provide their services safely and reliably.  

DHEC’s Healthcare Quality regulates almost 3,000 facilities and providers across the state, including hospitals, home health agencies, ambulatory surgical facilities, nursing homes, community residential care facilities and more. 

DHEC works collaboratively with our state’s hospital systems and the South Carolina Hospital Association to promote disease prevention, individual care, and other resources that help keep South Carolinians healthy.    

“South Carolina's hospital workers are invaluable to the health of our communities,” said Gwendolyn Thompson, DHEC Director of Healthcare Quality. “We at DHEC send a resounding thank-you to all of our state’s medical professionals and hospital support staff for their contributions in providing care to the people of our state. We also recognize our own DHEC employees who work every day to help oversee that safe operations and quality care are provided at our state’s various healthcare facilities.” 

Since 1953, National Hospital Week has spotlighted hospitals, health care systems and medical professionals who work to save and protect people’s lives. The timing of Hospital Week coincides with the birthday of Florence Nightingale, a 19th-century pioneer of nursing and health care whose activism helped reform and improve medical treatment and patient care.  

Learn more about South Carolina’s hospitals at scha.org, and learn more about DHEC’s role with licensing hospitals and health care facilities on DHEC’s Hospital Licensure webpage. An interactive database of all DHEC-licensed healthcare facilities is available using the Find-a-Facility online tool. 

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