Trident Health to Hold Town Hall Meetings

Release:

Trident Health to Hold Town Hall Meetings

Berkeley County Hospital Situation to be Main Focus  

North Charleston, S.C. / October 25, 2011- Beginning Tuesday, October 25, Trident Health System will begin holding Town Hall Meetings throughout Berkeley County. The focus of these events will give Berkeley County residents a factual update on the hospital situation and allow them to have their questions and concerns answered.

Trident Health System is proposing to build a 50-bed hospital in Moncks Corner while Roper plans call for a 50-bed hospital at Carnes Crossroads near Goose Creek. Both applications were approved by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control in June 2009, but have been delayed because of the pending lawsuit.

Town Hall Dates:

• Tuesday, October 25, 7 p.m. at Cross Community Center/1690 Old Hwy. 6 in Cross
• Monday, November 14, 6 p.m. at American Legion Hut, 180 Ravenell Dr. in St. Stephen
• Tuesday, November 15, 7 p.m. at Moncks Corner Town Hall
• Monday, November 28, 7 p.m. at Bonneau Beach Civic Club in Bonneau

The State regulators have approved two hospitals, one in Goose Creek (Roper) – an area that is already well-served by Trident – and one in Moncks Corner (Trident). Trident’s proposed facility in Moncks Corner will be there to serve the residents of Berkeley County that currently do not have a close hospital and have to drive many miles for hospital-based services.    When the decision was made by the State of South Carolina to approve two hospitals, Trident filed a challenge to this decision. Trident currently serves the residents of Goose Creek and a new hospital in that same area is not needed. Two small hospitals in Berkeley County cannot be successful or financially stable for the long term. Trident wants to avoid operating underutilized hospitals, a situation now seen in other communities throughout the state, including Mount Pleasant.  That area has a very low patient census at both hospitals, since Roper built a facility to compete with East Cooper.