CADES — South Florence County residents now can jump on a bus to go to MUSC Black River Medical Center.
Pee Dee Regional Transportation Authority and MUSC Black River Medical Center officials announced Feb. 5 the start of a new bus route to connect Lake City to the medical center, which opened in January 2023.
The route provides a reliable and convenient link for Lake City area residents seeking medical services at the center.
MUSC Black River Medical Center Executive Director Allen Abernethy (center) said the new Pee Dee Regional Transportation Authority's bus route connecting Lake City and the medical center will give residents reliable transportation to and from medical care.
MUSC Black River Medical Center Executive Director Allen Abernethy said the facility has been serving the residents of Williamsburg County and southern Florence County for a little more than a year.
"In that year, we have cared for thousands of family members, friends and our neighbors. To me, Black River means quality, compassion and patient-focused care," Abernethy said.
In its first year, the center recorded 22,427 visits to its emergency room. It performed 101,181 lab tests and 27,216 imaging studies. It had 1,356 inpatient admissions and more than 38,000 outpatient visits.
The medical center provides reliable medical care that is close to home, Abernethy said.
The Pee Dee Regional Transportation Authority's new bus route will give more people access to the center's medical care and help close medical care equity gaps in the Pee Dee, he said.
MUSC Health Primary Care-Lake City physician Benjamin Wade Lamb called Feb. 5 a great day in the fight against non-medical factors that influence health outcomes.
Transportation and hospital access has been a consideration since the initial plans to establish the Black River Medical Center, Lamb said.
"Today, we have closed that gap," said Lamb, who also is a member of the Black River Medical Center advisory board. "We have provided access now with this partnership with PDRTA to provide high quality health care for the citizens of lower Florence County at no cost."
Pee Dee Regional Transportation Authority Executive Don Strickland announces the new route between Lake City and Black River Medical Center will be fare free on Feb. 5, 2024.
Nearly 70 percent of the population of Lake City and surrounding communities doesn't have access to transportation. Demographics reveal a higher number of senior citizens live in the Lake City area, Pee Dee Regional Transportation Authority Executive Director Don Strickland said. They depend on others for rides.
The new bus route from Lake City to MUSC Black River Medical Center and back will be fare free, he said.
"We know that transportation is a vital need for seniors for mobility, independence and connection in all facets of life," he said.
At Pee Dee Regional Transportation Authority public hearings, a common theme is how seniors pay neighbors and family members to be taken to the store or medical appointments.
"One thing we are proud of is this service is fare-free for everyone that wants to use it," he said. "We are able to do that because of partnerships with MUSC. We are excited about the future. This is a big step in the right direction."
The new bus route from Lake City to Black River Medical Center is just the beginning. The Pee Dee Regional Transportation Authority also will introduce a route connecting Lake City to Florence, with stops in Scranton, Coward and Effingham before arriving at MUSC Health Florence Medical Center and connecting with the Florence Transit System, Strickland said.
The new route from Lake City to the medical center is erasing the artificial boundaries of county lines, state Sen. Robbie Sabb said.
Lake City is in Florence County, while Black River Medical Center is in Williamsburg County.
"These entities have worked extremely hard to remove those artificial boundaries," Sabb said. "At the end of the day, people are people. These efforts are designed to serve everybody."
Now, everyone in southern Florence County has access to the medical care provided at MUSC Black River Medical Center.
