In response to the growing need for accessible health care in rural South Carolina, MUSC Health is developing a Primary Care Mobile Health pilot to serve Wagener and surrounding communities. This initiative follows the closure of Wagener's only medical center, leaving an estimated 7,000 residents in the Wagener-Salley area without a local option for medical care and requiring them to travel significant distances to receive services in Columbia, Lexington, Aiken, Augusta or Orangeburg.

MUSC Health initiated an evaluation to identify solutions for bringing primary care services to the area and after a feasibility study, the team determined that a mobile health unit - capable of reaching multiple underserved communities in the region - would be the most effective way to address local health care gaps.

"MUSC Health is committed to ensuring that all South Carolinians, regardless of where they live, have the health care resources they need," said Dr. Patrick Cawley, CEO of MUSC Health and Vice President for Health Affairs, University. "This mobile health pilot is expected to serve thousands of patients closer to their homes while exploring long-term solutions for improving rural health care access."

State Representative Bill Taylor (District 86) has been instrumental in advocating for Wagener-area residents and welcomed the project's progress. "I appreciate MUSC Health's leadership in finding an innovative way to restore primary care services in these communities," said Taylor. "While there's still work to be done, this is a crucial first step in ensuring that residents in Wagener and surrounding communities have reliable access to essential health care services."