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Feb. 17, 2003

MUSC Restructures Care of Patients With Burns

CHARLESTON, SC – Responding to requests for continued care for patients with burns, the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) will restructure its services.

Under the revised arrangement, the University’s Level I Trauma Center will coordinate the treatment of adult patients with burns. All children with burns will continue to be treated by the MUSC Children’s Hospital. The new approach will involve management of burn patients within the Trauma and Burn Center. By integrating burn patients into existing resources, the new service can be launched immediately without incurring significant additional costs. Burn patients will receive their care in the Emergency Department and the Surgical Intensive Care Unit.

Representative John Graham Altman met again with University officials on February 14, 2003 to discuss the restructured service. Altman characterized the meeting as constructive and indicated that the new system “responds to the concerns of the community and assures that burned patients will get the care that they need.”

Under the new approach, only those patients with the most severe injuries will be referred to a specialized regional burn center for care. MUSC physicians will coordinate with patients and their families to determine when such a referral is medically necessary. It is anticipated that 90 percent or more of patients will be managed at the Medical University.

By continuing to treat the vast majority of burn patients locally, the Medical University reaffirms its commitment to meeting the needs of the community. “We are grateful for Representative Altman's support in this matter,” said MUSC President Ray Greenberg. “We share his concern for maximizing the care available in Charleston.”

Medical School Dean Jerry Reves and Surgery Department Chairman Fred Crawford both indicated their enthusiasm for the new approach.

“We want to provide the best care possible,” said Reves.

“Almost always that care can be obtained right here,” Crawford added, “but sometimes the particular needs of a burn patient require more specialized treatment than we can provide here.”