Carolinas Hospital System

Description

Overview
Carolinas Hospital System has a rich history dating back generations in the Pee Dee area of South Carolina In 1998 the campus relocated from downtown Florence to its present location a beautiful new facility situated on Pamplico Highway SC 51 dominating the southeastern side of the city

The new medical center features stateoftheart medical facilities and equipment With more than 1800 highly skilled medical professionals including over 300 specialized physicians in every major specialty on staff Carolinas is more than equipped to meet the communitys healthcare needs

Carolinas Hospital System offers exciting and challenging career opportunities We are dedicated to hiring talented diverse personnel who also will use their skills to enhance the services we provide and build our reputation with their own We encourage qualified applicants to contact our Human Resources Department for information regarding available positions

Carolinas Hospital System has earned the Joint Commissions Gold Seal of Approval

Mission Vision and Values
Every employees work brings these principles to life

Mission
To exceed our customers expectations

Vision
To be the best hospital and the employer of choice in South Carolina

Values
Respect for people
Commitment to patients physicians and employees
Continuous improvement
Responsibility to our community

History

History
In every hospitals history are milestones that shape its growth and development for years to come Carolinas Hospital System proudly celebrated one such milestone when it opened the doors to its new hospital for a new century in 1998 The introduction of a multimilliondollar 420bed hospital system meant more than the completion of a facility to sufficiently serve patient needs in a ninecounty area and more than providing increased access to some of todays most sophisticated medical tools and techniques By anticipating patient needs for decades to come Carolinas designed a hospital specifically with the future in mind a future that would continue a longstanding tradition of quality patient care in Florence

Two Histories That Meld Into One
The foundation of Carolinas Hospital System is comprised of not one but two healthcare organizations both of which played important roles in the rich medical history of the Florence community Each hospital came into being because of the vision of an individual physician one who hailed from the North and another from the South

The first facility was established in 1921 by Dr John Smyser a physician from New Jersey who married a Florence native Janie Sue Saunders With a grant of money bequeathed to him by his wifes father Dr John Smyser established Saunders Memorial Hospital in honor of his fatherinlaw The 40bed facility was served by a medical staff of six physicians and grew steadily In 1929 the entire hospital was remodeled giving it a colonial facade many native Florentines still recall today With a sweeping porch and grand columned entrance the hospital provided a warm welcome to all persons it served

Following Dr Smysers death his estate sold the hospital to Drs Lamar Lee Sr and Frank B Lee Sr nephews of Dr John Barnwell one of the six physicians on the original medical staff In 1954 all of the hospital property was donated to the Saunders Memorial Hospital and Clinic Corporation a private nonprofit corporation The 1950s ushered in an era of new construction with an expansion of facilities that included private rooms for all patients

In the late 1960s a sixstory tower was constructed and the original building was leveled due to irreparable structural damage In 1972 the board of trustees renamed the facility Florence General Hospital to better reflect the hospitals mission of service to the community A few years later a sevenstory tower was built as a west wing to the hospital During the 1980s and early into the 1990s Florence General Hospital went on to make significant contributions to the advancement of healthcare services in the community

Another Physician Leaves A Legacy
Twentythree years after Dr Smyser founded Saunders Memorial Hospital another physician made a lasting contribution to the delivery of healthcare in Florence A native of St Matthews South Carolina Dr John Larrabee Bruce came to Florence to serve his internship at Saunders Memorial Hospital He not only completed his training in Florence but also stayed on to practice medicine in the community and established Bruce Hospital in 1944 Bruce Hospital opened up as a fourbed clinic in a residence that was situated directly across from Saunders Memorial Hospital After only two years the facility underwent an extensive expansion and remodeling effort to increase the number of beds and to help meet a growing need for healthcare services

In 1946 Dr Bruce began performing surgical procedures in the hospital He had an elevator installed which opened directly into the operating room located on the second floor of the house In fact from there Dr Bruce and others could enjoy watching the football games scrimmages and other activities taking place on the athletic field behind the old Florence High School later named McClenaghan High School

Some thirtysix years later the same high school that Dr Bruce took an interest in was purchased by the hospital and converted into a fitness and retirement center This step came as part of an emerging focus by the hospital in the 1980s to not only provide care for the sick but also to take an active role in helping people to maintain good health The hospital that had continued to expand its physical facilities over the past three decades was now expanding its focus as well and implementing an intensive effort to bring an array of services to the community A name change to Bruce Hospital System aptly reflected this new dimension of the hospitals philosophy

A New Chapter In Healthcare
From their modest roots Florence General Hospital and Bruce Hospital System had both progressed into sophisticated healthcare organizations Yet rather than continue to operate as separate entities the leadership of both facilities had the foresight to take a major step to impact the delivery of healthcare services for the future In 1989 the boards of trustees of Bruce Hospital System and Florence General Hospital voted to organize a joint venture that would offer specialized services at a more reasonable and justifiable cost to the community These services included magnetic resonance imaging cardiac catheterization rehabilitation services and maternity services through The Womens Center a 20bed freestanding hospital

The success of this joint venture led to the consolidation of the two hospitals on January 1 l994 as Carolinas Hospital System Today Carolinas Hospital System provides a comprehensive range of services that includes acute care cancer treatment cardiac care emergencytrauma services maternity care and an array of specialized rehabilitation programs A regional healthcare provider Carolinas facilities include a Level IIl Trauma Center a Prenatal Wellness Center and a revolutionary imaging and technology system that captures transmits displays and stores diagnostic radiology images Its impressive ninestory structure is rivaled only by the people who staff it More than 260 skilled physicians represent all major specialties The hospitals 1700 dedicated experienced employees work in conjunction with the physicians to deliver compassionate quality healthcare

This commitment to care reflects the same abiding love of medicine and spirit of human kindness that two physicians instilled in two hospitals many years ago Its a heritage of healing that Carolinas Hospital System is proud to claim