Helping With Care

Tuesday’s second editorial notes the new partnership between two of the Grand Strand’s leading health-care charities.

Little River Medical Center stepped up in a big way to help SharedCare of Horry County continue medical services to uninsured, low-income residents. The recessionary economy, which unfortunately does not seem likely to improve much in some segments any time soon, has forced SharedCare to completely reorganize to keep its clients in medical care.

The nonprofit is eliminating its overhead and contracting for services with Little River Medicial Center and Health Care Partners of SC in Conway. As SharedCare board chairman Doug Wendel explains the situation, eliminating all its administrative costs will “allow us to make it in this year and part of the following year.”

Health Care Partners will manage five health care specialists that see patients in hospitals and other medical centers. The move, which surely was heart-wrenching for SharedCare board members, reflects the dreadful condition of S.C. finances. Through a grant and a contract with the Department of Health and Environmental Control, the state has provided much of SharedCare’s operating budget, and it’s clear that SharedCare is unlikely to have as much state funding as it has received. The budget is about $760,000, down from $1.1 million in recent years.

The nonprofit is eliminating its overhead and contracting for services with Little River Medicial Center and Health Care Partners of SC in Conway. As SharedCare board chairman Doug Wendel explains the situation, eliminating all its administrative costs will “allow us to make it in this year and part of the following year.”

Health Care Partners will manage five health care specialists that see patients in hospitals and other medical centers. The move, which surely was heart-wrenching for SharedCare board members, reflects the dreadful condition of S.C. finances. Through a grant and a contract with the Department of Health and Environmental Control, the state has provided much of SharedCare’s operating budget, and it’s clear that SharedCare is unlikely to have as much state funding as it has received. The budget is about $760,000, down from $1.1 million in recent years.