S.C. Adapting to Meet Public Health Needs
Dr. Edward Simmer
A New Day is Dawning for Public Health in South Carolina
On July 1, the new South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) officially launched as the state’s official public health agency, devoted to advancing and improving the health of South Carolinians and the communities in which they live.
This is a new day for public health in South Carolina, a state with a proud history of public health innovation going all the way back to 1712, when the then colony of South Carolina created the first health officer position in all of North America.
As the needs of South Carolinians change, we in public health need to adapt as well. Coming out of COVID-19, the governor and legislature recognized a need to improve a fragmented delivery system of related public health services. Act 60, which created the Department of Environmental Services and Department of Public Health from the former Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC), was an important first step toward that goal, and one we are very excited to advance.
DHEC’s public health component provides us a strong, 50-year legacy of dedication and commitment to the well-being of the people of South Carolina. We will build off that legacy as we launch DPH with the goal of becoming stronger than ever. We will carry forward the ideals of innovation, collaboration and the incorporation of best practices to achieve our long-term goal of South Carolina becoming the healthiest state in the nation.
We’re not there yet. But I’m convinced that working together with community groups, faith-based organizations, health care providers, non-profits, and other state agencies all across our state, we can move the needle toward ensuring that every South Carolinian has access to the care, resources, and information they need to make decisions to enhance their health and the health of their families.
One major change we are making is to significantly increase our community outreach and engagement, with local groups like those listed above with the goal of partnering with them to develop community-based solutions that will address the many issues that impact health. We know that local solutions, with resources and assistance from the state level work best, and we are dedicated to supporting local communities to help them thrive and optimize their health.
We will also work with other health agencies in our state to make it easier to access our services and develop a more coordinated approach to health issues.
We also are carrying forward DHEC’s regulation of licensed healthcare facilities, from nursing homes to hospitals. Not only will we continue to ensure that the facilities South Carolinians use are safe and high quality, we will use this opportunity to innovate here as well. Beginning this year, we will be posting inspection reports for nursing homes, hospitals, and related institutions on our website.
This innovation will allow families to view complaints, investigations and enforcement actions taken against facilities in addition to positive reports. We believe making this unbiased information available to the public is a service that will provide immense value to those making critical decisions about care for themselves and their families.
Though a lot is changing, what will not change are the services we provide at our county health departments; the people you trust there to deliver them; and our commitment to helping South Carolinians and their communities thrive. If anything, the future of public health in South Carolina looks brighter than ever.
Our mission at DPH is to protect, promote, and improve the health and well-being of everyone in South Carolina. With the opportunities provided by having a new state public health agency, and working with many others, we will make South Carolina the healthiest state in the nation, and a better place to live, work, and play. We look forward to doing this together with you.
Dr. Edward Simmer MD, MPH, DFAPA, is the director of the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC)