Hardeeville, S.C.-based Costal Carolina Medical Associates, a division of Costal Carolina Hospital, also in Hardeeville, plans to close two of its clinics in Hardeeville and Ridgeland, S.C., by May 19, according to Bluffton Today.
Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare, which owns Costal Carolina Hospital, is reportedly "committed to relocating employees to other clinics" operated by Hilton Head Regional Healthcare in Hilton Head Island, S.C, according to the report.
Costal Carolina CEO Joel Taylor said the decision to close the clinics was based on two factors, one of which was the underutilization of the clinics by residents in the area. Mr. Taylor told Bluffton Today the clinic in Hardeeville sees 10 to 11 patients per day, while the Ridgeland clinic sees five to seven patients per day, on average, according to the report. Mr. Taylor also said the clinics did not provide services central to the hospital's mission.
"Those two clinics are departments of the hospital," he said. "Other physician clinics that may have a direct line affiliation to the hospital … are typically run by a separate branch of the same organization. So those two clinics are not really core services of the hospital."
Mr. Taylor said officials do not plan to open another clinic in the Jasper County area, but said the hospital would be open to potentially partnering with a primary care operation in the future, according to the report.