FLORENCE — A Columbia area controversy seeped into a public hearing the South Carolina State Planning Committee held Tuesday regarding modifications to the South Carolina Health Plan.

The governor-appointed panel met at the Florence County Health Department with the intention of gathering information from the public that will form the basis for the 2007-08 South Carolina Health Plan.

Opponents from Columbia-based Sisters of Charity Providence Hospital addressed their concerns with Lexington Medical Center’s bid for an open-heart surgery program, stating that hospital’s proposed plan changes straddles the line of special treatment.

Lexington Medical Center has lost the battle to receive state permission to conduct scheduled open-heart surgeries, not just in emergencies.

“It was surprising to hear their remarks again,” said Albert Whiteside, of the Department of Health and Environmental Control, who mediated the meeting. “We (DHEC) will give the committee a recommendation about what should be changed after we read all the submitted requests.”

One of the more considerable changes proposed by the hospital would mean changing the way state regulators consider how many open-heart surgery programs can operate in each part of the state.

Dr. Larry R. Ellis, senior vice president for cardiovascular services at Providence, said this is an unnecessary situation because open-heart surgeries are declining nationwide.

“However you cut this, Lexington is the only hospital we are talking about here,” he said. “This is a serious issue for the health-care process and (it) needs to (be looked) at in the interests of all hospitals in the state. It makes no sense to add another facility when the demand is not there just to have it.”

The current health plan states there can only be multiple facilities that perform open-heart surgery if the case for need is proven based on set criteria. Shelley Bowers Pifer of Lexington Medical said the fact her facility is a 20-minute drive between Lexington and the rival hospital, which is certified to perform open-heart surgeries, illustrates that case.

The South Carolina Health Plan is developed every two years. It’s significant because it sets the priorities for state health-care providers by establishing what types of medical services are needed in South Carolina.

All changes to the plan become a requirement once approved by the Department of Health and Environmental Control Board.

Even if Lexington’s recommendations are adopted, they would have no effect on Florence County. Both McLeod Regional Medical System and Carolinas Hospital System perform open-heart surgeries in the Pee Dee.

The biggest issue Whiteside sees is making sure the health plan is fair to everyone involved because the plan is in effect for at least for two years.