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MUSC requests state support for cancer center bid, workforce expansion and new recovery center
Summary
Leaders from the Medical University of South Carolina asked the subcommittee for recurring and capital support to pursue an NCI comprehensive cancer center designation, build clinical-trial and AI infrastructure, expand graduate medical education slots and fund a state residential recovery center.
Officials from the Medical University of South Carolina told the Healthcare Subcommittee that state funding will be critical to expand cancer care, graduate medical education and rural access across the state.
Dr. Cole, speaking on behalf of MUSC, described the system as the state’s comprehensive academic health system and said MUSC “is the only comprehensive academic health system in the state of South Carolina,” highlighting statewide telehealth presence, research funding and clinical programs.
Pat Cawley, CEO of MUSC Health, outlined several budget priorities. The top health request is $5,000,000 in recurring state funds to help MUSC prepare an application for National Cancer Institute comprehensive cancer-center designation and to build statewide cancer-care infrastructure. Cawley said the designation requires “state support” and would be paired with institutional and philanthropic matching.
Other MUSC announcements and requests included a proposed Southeast Health AI consortium to build bioinformatics and supercomputing capacity in partnership with the University of Florida, a $1,000,000 pilot to support next-generation cancer therapeutic trials (notably pediatric glioblastoma work), support for neuromodulation (transcranial magnetic stimulation) to expand behavioral-health access, and startup funding for additional graduate medical-education slots in underserved regional hospitals (MUSC cited plans to add 160 slots across Florence, Columbia and Lancaster sites in the coming years).
Cawley highlighted workforce and rural access as priorities and described MUSC’s role in training doctors, nurses and technicians. “We’re trying to bring more doctors into South Carolina and train them in South Carolina,” he said, noting that physicians trained and retained in-state are more likely to stay long term. He also noted MUSC’s role in launching mobile primary-care services and new clinics for the Denmark–Barnwell–Aiken corridor.
MUSC also asked the subcommittee to consider funding for a Palmetto Recovery and Renewal Center, a proposed residential substance-use recovery center described as the first of its kind in South Carolina, so patients would not need to leave the state for residential treatment.
Committee members asked about distribution of physicians and retention strategies. Representative Duke praised Lancaster medical education efforts as a “game changer.” Representative Claiborne and Representative Hosey urged continued focus on rural access, including along the I‑95 corridor.
No formal votes were held at the hearing; MUSC leaders answered committee questions and described proposed funding priorities and partnerships with other state institutions.
