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CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Roper St. Francis Healthcare announced a plan today to move Roper Hospital away from the Charleston Peninsula where it has been located since 1856.
The move is part of what Roper called a “bold path forward” to care for more patients and modernize technology “to better serve future generations.”
The new facility will be “technologically and structurally upgraded to better withstand natural disasters, such as floods, hurricanes and earthquakes,” Roper spokesman Robert Briggs said.
“Today, I make this promise that whether you live in downtown Charleston or the farthest reaches of Berkeley, Dorchester and Charleston counties, Roper St. Francis Healthcare will be a short drive away to serve your health care needs,” RSFH President and CEO Dr. Jeffrey DiLisi said.
DiLisi said he expects to name a new Roper Hospital location in the coming weeks.
“This strategic plan serves as our beacon to making primary and specialty care services more convenient for all of the communities we serve,” he said.
The strategic plan, Roper St. Francis Healthcare 2030, is built on five key initiatives, hospital officials say:
- Optimize the footprint: In addition to relocating Roper Hospital, Roper St. Francis Healthcare will expand Roper St. Francis Berkeley Hospital and the services the system’s newest hospital provides to meet the growing community’s demands. Roper St. Francis Healthcare also will acquire land to improve access where large numbers of residents live, such as the purchase this week of the former Miller Cadillac property near the corner of Johnnie Dodds Boulevard and Mathis Ferry Road in Mount Pleasant.
- Modernize technology: Roper St. Francis Healthcare will implement a new electronic medical record, Epic, which will enable patients and medical providers to more easily access records.
- Address the clinical needs of the future: Based on patient needs, Roper St. Francis Healthcare will intentionally expand key health care service lines such as cancer care and orthopedics.
- Improve sustainability: Roper St. Francis Healthcare will work behind the scenes on finances, talent management and processes to improve operational efficiency, which are the nuts and bolts that make it possible to serve the community.
- Expand population management: Roper St. Francis Healthcare will improve the healthcare experience and reduce costs for employers and large populations of patients, such as those who qualify for Medicare.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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