Roper and MUSC Launch New Pediatric Unit in Charleston Area

Roper St. Francis Healthcare and Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) are collaborating to establish a new pediatric unit in Charleston, addressing a significant need for specialized care in the region. The new facility, which will span 10,000 square feet and feature 16 beds, is set to open at Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital in West Ashley by the end of 2023.

This partnership marks the first formal collaboration between the two healthcare providers, which together boast nearly 400 years of combined experience in patient care. Dr. Megan Baker, chief operating officer for Roper St. Francis, highlighted that the initiative stems from an increasing number of children requiring hospital care that Roper was not equipped to provide. In recent years, approximately 700 children were transferred annually to Shawn Jenkins for treatment, often resulting in overcrowding at the children’s hospital.

Recognizing the rising demand for pediatric services, Roper St. Francis began exploring options for enhancing local care. “Pediatric care is not something that we’ve done in an inpatient setting for many years,” Baker noted. “Rather than reinventing the wheel, it made sense to partner with such talented and nationally recognized partners just five miles away.”

MUSC’s Dr. Mark Scheurer, chief of Children’s and Women’s Services, emphasized the need for evolving care models. “The future of the care that we deliver at Shawn Jenkins needs to be outside of its walls,” he stated. “We need to meet patients where they are and create access for high-quality pediatric care with partners in our communities.”

The new pediatric unit will be staffed by MUSC pediatricians, with nursing personnel from Roper trained in collaboration with MUSC staff. This arrangement aims to streamline the transfer process, which has often seen children waiting in Roper emergency rooms for a bed at Shawn Jenkins.

Seasonal surges in respiratory illnesses among children typically increase the pressure on both hospitals during the fall and winter months. Baker pointed out that while some children require higher levels of complex care, others do not need the extensive services provided at Shawn Jenkins. “This is really the puzzle piece that we felt we could play in the overall statewide service and in local community service,” she explained.

This collaboration not only enhances accessibility to care for families but also allows Shawn Jenkins to focus on patients with more complex health needs. “We want to ensure that patients receive the care they need, when they need it, and closest to home,” Scheurer affirmed.

The partnership directly addresses the growing population in South Carolina, which has seen a corresponding rise in the number of children in need of medical attention. “We want to ensure that South Carolina kids have access to the kind of therapies that they can get anywhere in the country, but right here at home,” Scheurer concluded.

As the new pediatric unit prepares to open, it represents a significant advancement in the collaboration between Roper St. Francis and MUSC, ultimately benefiting the health outcomes of children in Charleston and beyond.