Expanding Healthcare Access in South Carolina
A New Year’s Resolution for 2025
Due to high patient volume across the nation and in South Carolina, doctors are often booked weeks or months in advance. Many are experiencing burnout and are unable to give patients the attention they may need.
The Cicero Institute suggests a New Year’s Resolution for South Carolina in 2025 to increase access to healthcare by creating a pathway for international physicians to practice in the state.
Overall, South Carolina ranks in the bottom half of states for primary care doctor and general surgeon availability.
41 of South Carolina’s 46 counties are health professional shortage areas (HPSA).
- Low-income citizens are disproportionately affected by these shortages.
- HPSA designations indicate areas where there are 3,500 or more patients for every one provider.
This dire situation leaves many patients with a difficult choice:
While pharmacists have the extensive education and experience to help fill this gap, legislative and regulatory restrictions prevent them from doing so.
The U.S. healthcare system is sidelining 330,000 pharmacists who are qualified to provide many medical services such as:
Giving pharmacists the ability to deploy the full scope of their training and experience—especially in rural areas and healthcare deserts—would mean safe and effective way to alleviate the pressure of doctor shortages in South Carolina.
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