Dialysis Care Expansion in Darlington Has Emergency Preparedness Implications
Among the many healthcare challenges that occur when disasters strike or evacuations are ordered, hospitals often see a surge of patients with end-stage renal disease seeking dialysis. Local outpatient dialysis centers typically close during these events, leaving patients with urgent, ongoing needs. Hospitals and emergency departments are not designed to function as outpatient dialysis centers, nor do they maintain individualized outpatient treatment prescriptions.
That challenge is why Carolina Pines Regional Medical Center–a rural hospital in Darlington County about 90 miles inland from Myrtle Beach—is taking a proactive approach to address this challenge and expand access to dialysis care.
Carolina Pines CEO Brian Sponseller, MD, explains that the project began with a clear realization: the community urgently needs more dialysis capacity. Current demand for dialysis chairs already far exceeds local availability, forcing patients to travel long distances and endure delays in care. These barriers often lead to worsening health outcomes and frequent hospital admissions or readmissions.
After careful discussion with its Board and partners, Carolina Pines committed to developing an outpatient dialysis center within its existing medical office building. The design, created by a contracted architect, will feature 15 self-contained dialysis chairs in a 3,000-square-foot space currently occupied by occupational therapy.
Licensure preparation with the Department of Public Health posed some timing challenges, but those have been resolved. Renovations are scheduled to begin in January and will take approximately six months. The hospital has also hired a hemodialysis director to oversee staffing and operations for both inpatient and outpatient dialysis, as well as nephrology services. Financial projections indicate the new service line will at least break even under standard outpatient billing—while delivering the critical benefit of keeping patients closer to home.Dr. Sponseller’s patient-centered vision shines through in the details: each dialysis chair will include heat, massage, and USB charging ports, along with personal headphones for private listening. A full wall of windows will bathe the space in natural light, creating a therapeutic environment that enhances the patient experience.
Beyond meeting day-to-day needs, the new outpatient dialysis center will serve as a vital resource during coastal evacuations and other disaster responses, thanks to Hartsville’s inland location.
For more information, contact Melanie Matney at SCHA (mmatney@scha.org) or Tammy Helms, RN, Director of Dialysis Services at Carolina Pines Regional Medical Center.