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S.C. program becomes national model South Carolina’s Medically Fragile Children’s Program was recognized by the National Association of Children’s Hospitals (NACHRI) as a national model.  The South Carolina initiative was chosen as the first program highlighted in a series of case studies of successful and innovative state programs.   A detailed description of the program with a question-and-answer session with John Sanders, administrator of the MUSC Children’s Hospital, was placed on the NACHRI Web site.   The Charleston program opened last summer under the auspices of the MUSC Children’s Hospital, following the pattern of the two other successful programs in the state. The Charleston, program, however, is the only one linked administratively to a children’s hospital.   The program provides comprehensive medical care to children with complex medical conditions, covering all aspects of care under one roof (i.e., primary medical care, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, nursing, nutrition counseling, medication, supplies, durable medical equipment, and family, support and education/training).   Housed in a stand-alone 8,500 square foot facility in North Charleston, the program provides superior medical service to children on Medicaid while realizing significant per-child savings over less coordinated fee-for-service treatment.   “The National Association of Children’s Hospitals is very excited to highlight the accomplishments of the South Carolina Medically Fragile Children’s Program (MFCP) in the first in our series of case studies on innovative state Medicaid programs. MFCP is an example of a successful partnership between children’s hospitals and a state to improve care for children while also reducing Medicaid costs,” said Peters D. Willson, vice president for public policy, National Association of Children’s Hospitals.   Visit the Web site highlighting the South Carolina program at http://www.childrenshospitals.net.   “Many states are changing the way state Medicaid programs do business,” said Pat Votava, manager of the Medically Fragile Children’s Program in Charleston. “Children’s hospitals throughout the United States are looking for new and innovative ways to work with their state Medicaid programs.” She said that within several days of the release of the national case study the MUSC Children’s Hospital was contacted by physicians and children’s hospitals across the country requesting additional information about the program and expressing interest in recreating the program in their respective areas.   Friday, Jan. 6, 2006 Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to petersnd@musc.edu or catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Community Press at 849-1778.