SCHA is committed to helping our hospitals recruit, develop, and maintain a quality workforce. Hospitals face a critical shortage of healthcare workers, exacerbated by burnout and an aging workforce. SCHA is focused on developing and implementing policies to address these shortages. We are committed to advocating for state and federal investments in education pipelines, licensure flexibility, loan repayment programs, and workforce development grants to attract and retain talent, especially in underserved areas.  Our team is committed to advocating for new tools and reinvigorating existing programs and partnerships to meet the current and future needs of our members.

Hospitals are under financial strain due to rising costs, uncompensated care, and inadequate reimbursement. SCHA advocates for sustainable Medicaid and Medicare payment models, increased state and federal funding, and support for our financially vulnerable hospitals to maintain access to care and bolster services in all our communities.

While regulation ensures accountability, excessive or outdated mandates burden providers and divert resources from patient care. SCHA seeks streamlined, flexible, and transparent regulatory policies that reduce administrative burden without compromising quality and safety. We work closely with the SC Department of Public Health on hospital licensure regulations to develop appropriate guardrails that provide for patient safety and quality care while retaining flexibilities needed in this critical environment.

Access to Behavioral Health services is insufficient, especially in rural and low-income communities. As the primary providers of emergency medical services, hospitals have become the stopgap for South Carolina’s failing behavioral health system. Hospitals often house behavioral health patients who have no other source of care which puts a strain on hospital resources and capacity.

SCHA supports broad measures to improve the state’s behavioral healthcare system by modernizing behavioral health patient transport, providing programs for crisis intervention, developing integrated care models, supporting increased state and federal funding for inpatient and outpatient services, and integrating behavioral health services into primary care.

Hospitals play a vital role in addressing social determinants of health (SDOH) and promoting health equity. We support policies that fund community-based initiatives, strengthen partnerships with local organizations, and address housing, food security, and transportation barriers. These efforts aim to address patient health before critical emergent care is needed, which improves outcomes and lowers costs.

Medical liability reform is essential to ensure stability in healthcare delivery and reduce defensive medicine costs. The high costs associated with today’s medical liability system can have a negative impact on hospitals and their ability to provide services. SCHA supports reasonable tort reform that protects the patient and supports South Carolina’s healthcare providers. We support caps on non-economic damages, a reasonable statute of limitations, and protections for providers during declared emergencies.

Comprehensive legislation to revise the South Carolina Tort Claims Act, including language to address the medical liability concerns of hospitals was introduced and passed the SC Senate in 2024. A standalone medical malpractice bill was introduced in the SC House at the end of the 2024 session. SCHA seeks to: revise the definition of an occurrence to ensure that claims are focused on a single incident resulting in damage, injury or loss; remove gross negligence as an argument for exception from the damages caps; and include equivalent protections for nonprofit hospitals in the Charitable Funds Act as provided in the Tort Claims Act. While acknowledging the caps on non-economic damages might be overdue for an increase, SCHA opposes unreasonable increases and additional exceptions to the caps.

Healthcare workers face growing threats of violence and injury. Violence in the health care setting has implications beyond the injuries sustained by the dedicated men and women of our workforce. AHA’s member hospitals and health systems report that workplace violence and intimidation make it more difficult for clinical staff to provide quality patient care. Nurses and physicians cannot provide attentive care when they are afraid for their personal safety, distracted by disruptive patients or family members, or traumatized from prior attacks. In addition, violent attacks at health care facilities can delay urgently needed care for other patients, reduce employee productivity and increase the likelihood of adverse events. SCHA advocates for enhanced protections, including stronger penalties for assaults, funding for workplace safety improvements, and policies that support a safe and respectful work environment for our staff and patients at both the State and Federal level.

Telehealth expands access, especially in rural and underserved communities. SC has been in a leader in Telehealth policies, and the SC General Assembly has appropriated significant resources to both Telehealth services and broadband connectivity statewide. We support permanent reimbursement parity, cross-state licensure flexibility, and continued coverage of a broad range of services to ensure equitable virtual care access. The benefits of Telehealth and the investments made to date must be sustained and fortified, so that our hospitals have every tool available to address patient care.

The 340B Drug Pricing Program is vital for hospitals serving low-income and rural populations. We defend the program against manufacturer restrictions and support efforts to preserve access to discounted drugs that help fund essential community services. SCHA is working with other stakeholders to protect our patient access to critical pharmaceuticals available through local pharmacies.