The Charleston medical community includes one of the most dedicated groups of healthcare providers in the country. In fact, the Charleston County Medical Society (CCMS), which was founded in 1951, is a lineal descendant of the first medical society in the state, established in Charleston in 1789.
Charleston was settled by English colonists in 1670 and subsequently grew from a bustling colonial seaport to a wealthy city inhabited by a diverse population by the mid-18th century. Charleston’s economy continued to prosper through the 19th century due to its busy seaport and the cultivation of cotton, rice and indigo.
Today, the tourist industry serves as one of the major draws of the South Carolina port city, as more than 4.5 million people visit Charleston every year. Tourists alone generate approximately $3.22 billion to the local economy.
Medicine at Its Finest
Through the years, the locals clamored for the best medical care they could attract — which they did in spades. When you visit Charleston medical facilities, you’ll be treated by some of the best doctors in the country. Some of the major players that serve the coastal Carolina region include:
- Southeastern Spine Institute, with a three-acre campus devoted solely to back care
- Medical University of South Carolina, South Carolina’s only comprehensive academic medical center, founded in 1824 as a small private college to train physicians
- East Cooper Medical Center, with eight Gold Seals of Approval from one of the nation’s most respected health care organizations
- Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital, ranked the third best hospital in the state by U.S. News and World Report
- Trident Health, with four top-notch health facilities
- Ralph H. Johnson Veterans Affairs Medical Center, a teaching hospital that serves veterans
- Charleston Women’s Medical Center, the only abortion facility in Charleston and one of only three in the state
Additionally, a plethora of walk-in clinics, radiography centers and dental groups populate this city of more than 380,000. The Charleston medical community is known for bringing in “medical tourists” — those who visit to have a procedure done — because not only will they receive top-notch care, but the city is such a pleasant place in which to recuperate after a bypass operation or back surgery.
In-House Charleston Medical Care
The Southeastern Spine Institute does its share of promoting medical tourism, as its patients come from all over the South. Its expansive campus provides patients with every type of healthcare provider necessary to diagnose, treat and rehab spine health issues. The facility is a boon to the area.
Accredited by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care, SSI is a Food and Drug Administration test site for new devices and the latest procedures in spinal surgery. SSI also assists in the training of medical and nursing students from the Medical University of South Carolina.
It’s this kind of collaboration that makes the Charleston medical community truly a place you can trust for the best care possible. And the recovery part isn’t so bad either. Read the previous blog post about the many options you have when you choose to have your procedure performed in the “Holy City.”
Don’t be left out in the cold; find out why the Southeastern Spine Institute and Charleston medical facilities are the best in the South.