Find Doctors in South Carolina

Healthcare in South Carolina

South Carolina's healthcare system is anchored by the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) in Charleston, the state's premier academic medical center and a nationally recognized institution for transplant surgery, stroke care, and cancer treatment. With approximately 13,000 active physicians and a per capita rate of 250 per 100,000, the state falls below the national average. Charleston, Columbia, and Greenville serve as the three primary healthcare hubs, with Prisma Health operating the state's largest hospital system across the Upstate and Midlands regions. South Carolina has two medical schools, MUSC and the University of South Carolina School of Medicine, working to expand the physician workforce. Rural areas, particularly the Pee Dee region and the I-95 corridor, face severe physician shortages and some of the worst health outcomes in the state. The state has not expanded Medicaid, limiting coverage options for lower-income residents. South Carolina's growing retiree population, particularly along the coast, drives demand for cardiology, orthopedics, and geriatric services. The state has invested in telehealth programs and community health centers to improve access in underserved areas. MUSC's telehealth network has been a national model for extending academic medical center expertise to rural communities.