Duke’s great gift

WHEN WE HEAR about South Carolina’s health outlook, the news is usually bad. The state is among the nation’s worst in health categories from infant mortality to strokes. Given those woes, it was great news this week to learn that the Duke Endowment will give $21 million to the state’s new health collaborative.

This three-year grant is the largest single effort ever by the endowment. That’s a substantial addition of assets for South Carolina, a state that always seems to be starving for capital investment.

Such an investment probably wouldn’t be coming here without the recent creation of Health Sciences South Carolina, a collaboration of top hospitals and research institutions from across the state. The collaborative is working on improving such areas as brain imaging and patient safety. The Health Sciences framework likely assures the endowment that its great gift will produce systemic, measurable results.

This major assistance to the state’s medical system should boost the quality of medical care that many South Carolinians receive. It’s a good reason to be thankful to the Duke Endowment, and to the South Carolinians who helped make it happen.