By unanimous vote, members made Senate Bill S. 713 a committee bill. The move not only made all committee members sponsors of the legislation, but likewise paved the way for the bill to move to the Senate floor as early as today.
"It's clear that this bill is a serious public health issue for South Carolinians," said Melanie Lux, spokeswoman for Save the System, a collaborative of the South Carolina Hospital Association and the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.
The group is working to gain legislative support while enlightening communities about inadequacies in infrastructure and funding for the state's trauma system.
According to Save the System, South Carolina's 23 remaining trauma centers are facing financial burdens that threaten their existence.
"It's been 10 years since we launched a trauma system in South Carolina," said Phyllis Beasley, trauma center director for DHEC. "People think it is funded by the state, but it is not."
Hospitals designated as trauma centers, as well as medical personnel who work as part of a trauma team, do so on a voluntary basis. Emergency medical services are also part of the system.
Because 23 percent of South Carolinians have no health insurance, the system is experiencing a financial crisis. Trauma patients typically require the most expensive care, according to Save the System.
South Carolina is also third highest in the nation for the number of motor vehicle deaths, and vehicle accident victims comprise 60 percent of serious trauma cases in the state, said Lux.
Dr. Mark Reynolds, director of McLeod Regional Medical Center's Level II trauma center, has said his work as a dedicated trauma surgeon is important, but threatened by the lack of funding. He addressed the committee Wednesday morning in support of the bill's passage.
Though funding is vital, Lux said the process of strengthening the system must be taken one step at a time.
"First, we are focusing just on getting the bill passed and establishing an infrastructure for the system," she said. "Then, we'll focus on funding next year. Realistically, South Carolina is facing a difficult budget year, and we know it will be difficult to get any funding now."
For more information on how to can help support the bill, call Beasley at (803) 545-4333.