Health care services in Pickens County are among the best to be found anywhere in the world. Two hospitals - Cannon Memorial in Pickens and Baptist Medical Center in Easley - provide extensive programs and services, while the Clemson Health Center, a cooperative effort of five area hospitals, provides urgent care and diagnostic services.

Palmetto Baptist Medical Center

Since its founding in 1958 as Easley Baptist Hospital, the Palmetto Baptist Medical Center has been dedicated to serving the health care needs of the people of this region. The not-for-profit hospital offers a number of advanced specialized services, such as Mobil MRI and the recently completed LDRP (Labor, Delivery, Recovery and Post-Partum rooms) for new mothers.

From its inception as a 50-bed facility, it has more than doubled in size to 109 beds and continues with an ambitious expansion project. The hospital has a staff of more than 600 employees and volunteers, while a growing medical staff represents more than 25 specialty areas.

Because Baptist Medical Center places a strong emphasis on community outreach and education, the hospital has opened an off-campus education center located at Town n' Country Plaza in Easley. The Center sponsors health fairs where people can obtain preventive health services such as blood pressure readings, diabetes and cholesterol screens, and hearing screenings.

HealthWorks is another service offered to business and industry for their employees. A comprehensive health screening is available for each employee.

Cannon Memorial Hospital

Cannon Memorial Hospital has been providing quality medical care for Pickens County's residents since 1947. In 1982, Cannon Memorial made a major commitment to continuing to meet the ever-increasing needs of the area by opening a new, modern facility.

Cannon Memorial is a 55-bed facility with an active medical staff of 26 physicians, plus an additional 29 physicians with privileges. A full range of services are available, including a 24-hour physician-staffed emergency department, outpatient services, fully-equipped surgical suites offering the latest in laparoscopic and standard procedures, a critical care unit, respiratory care services, radiology, mammography, CAT Scans, a full-service laboratory, physical therapy, community wellness programs, dietary counselling, and Lifeline (a personal emergency response system).

The staff includes many surgical specialists - General Surgeons, Urologists, Gastroenterologists, Orthopedic Surgeons, and Otolaryogologists - and is fully-equipped as a Critical Care Unit (CCU) with both staff and technology to treat conditions from cardiac emergencies to serious injuries.

All patient rooms at Cannon Memorial are private rooms with private baths. There is also a community fitness trail on the hospital grounds and tree-filled courtyards for visitors and patients to enjoy.

Clemson Health Center

Five area hospitals - Anderson Area Medical Center, Palmetto Baptist Medical Center, Cannon Memorial Hospital, Greenville Memorial Medical Center and Oconee Memorial Hospital - have joined efforts to offer the Clemson Health Center, a unique medical facility offering urgent care and diagnostic services with plans to provide primary care as well.

Located on Clemson's Tiger Boulevard near the Holiday Inn, the Clemson Health Center is open every day, evening, weekend and holiday to provide urgent care for people who become suddenly sick or are injured and require immediate attention.

Diagnostic services are also offered at the center, so people living in the Clemson area no longer have to travel to the nearest hospital for the latest test or lab work. The Center's physician, nursing and diagnostic staff have years of special training and experience and are backed by the full resources of the sponsoring hospitals.

Physician Hospital Organization (PHO)
Pickens County is seeing a major change in health care delivery. In an effort to continue to provide medical care locally to the residents of the county, Palmetto Baptist Medical Center and Cannon Memorial Hospital have formed a Physician Hospital Organization (PHO) between the two institutions and their physicians. Key to the development of a more efficient and effective care delivery system in the community will be the enhanced coordination and communication between providers in the PHO.

The partnership, Partners Medical Plan, Inc., operates under its own eight-member board of directors. While each hospital and the physicians involved will remain independent while the partnership takes steps to prepare for future health care reform, especially the coming age of managed care networks.

The development of the PHO will allow physicians and hospitals to work together to have the opportunity to control costs and make health care more affordable and more accessible.

Other Services
Nine nursing homes provide various levels of care for convalescents, the disabled and the aging throughout the county. Also, there are two retirement centers with a variety of services offered.

Pickens County Emergency Medical Services is a county-operated agency that provides pre-hospital emergency care and transportation for the ill and injured, as well as non-emergency convalescent transportation to and from medical facilities. EMS units operate around the clock, seven days a week and are fully equipped to provide advanced life support care.

Pickens County Emergency Preparedness Agency is also county operated, providing emergency response plans to cope with any natural or man-made disasters. The agency maintains four volunteer rescue squads strategically located within the county. Each unit has "Jaws of Life" equipment for rescue from vehicles and also has personnel trained in scuba diving, rappelling, search and rescue.

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