Through a collaborative effort, CareSouth Carolina and the South Carolina Department of Health & Environmental Control (SC-DHEC) will be opening a new location in Dillon on May 10.
The office, located at 1016 Old Latta Hwy. in Dillon, S.C., will take over as the new location for both CareSouth Carolina–currently located at 207 E. Monroe Street–and SC-DHEC (Dillon County Health Department)–currently located at 201 W. Hampton St. The partnership will allow the two organizations to provide more convenient and accessible services to Dillon County.
“This is a great opportunity for collaboration and we couldn’t have better partners in this than CareSouth Carolina and Dillon County Government,” said Jim Bruckner, DHEC’s public health director for the Pee Dee. “The co-location of DHEC and CareSouth Carolina services will expand access to more comprehensive health services by making them more convenient and accessible to the residents of Dillon County.”
“In this partnership CareSouth Carolina will be assuming some of the direct clinical services currently provided by DHEC. DHEC will continue to see WIC clients and will focus on the more traditional core public health services like community epidemiology (communicable disease surveillance/management); tuberculosis surveillance and treatment; compliance work (Title X, vaccines for children, etc.); newborn home visits when applicable; community health promotion and education efforts; and working with the community on Community Health Assessment and Community Health Improvement Planning. DHEC’s goal in all of this is to make Dillon County a healthy and thriving community to live and work in,” Bruckner said.
SC-DHEC will continue to provide both WIC services and COVID vaccinations at the new office.
CareSouth Carolina will begin providing several preventative health services currently provided at DHEC, including family planning, STD/STI, HIV and immunizations.
CareSouth Carolina will also be providing all the services it currently offers at its medical office.
CareSouth Carolina CEO Ann Lewis said the building will be a “one-stop shop innovation.”
“This will be a one-stop shop innovation that brings together partners who have been successfully working together for a considerable length to make the vision of this new building and the combined services a reality: DHEC, CareSouth Carolina and Dillon County,” Lewis said. “With the DHEC provision of WIC services combined with the expansion of the CareSouth family planning and immunization services, residents of Dillon County will have simple, easy access to a wide array of care and services–in one building.”
The new facility, with a total of 18,640 square feet, more than quadruples CareSouth Carolina’s capacity to provide services to Dillon County and surrounding areas. In addition to the services provided at the current location, the new facility will provide space for additional primary care providers and additional support services including a pharmacy with a drive thru.
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. (adv.)