Health Sciences South Carolina lands Duke Endowment grant
Posted on: 6/5/2015; Updated on: 6/5/2015By Jeff Stensland, 803-777-3686
Health Sciences South Carolina (HSSC) was awarded a $15.3 million grant by the Duke Endowment to start a first-in-the-nation, dual-state health collaborative.
The award will allow researchers and clinicians from South Carolina's three research universities – the University of South Carolina, the Medical University of South Carolina and Clemson University – to work with those in North Carolina on projects to improve patient health.
The award is the third multimillion-dollar grant made to HSSC by the Duke Endowment. The Endowment awarded HSSC $21 million in 2006 and $11.25 million in 2011 to support the establishment of several SmartState Centers, including the Healthcare Quality Center and Clinical Effectiveness and Patient Safety Center; statewide research-enabling information technology infrastructure and tools; and the creation of a nationally recognized Learning Health System.
The new grant will pave the way for joint projects with the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Duke University and Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. Utilizing HSSC's patient data warehouse, researchers can tackle some of the most pressing health problems facing the two states, including obesity, heart disease, diabetes and strokes.
“HSSC has shown that in South Carolina, with the right IT infrastructure and tools, university-health system collaborations are more effective at improving health through data-driven action and research and are more competitive in securing external funding for that research,” said HSSC CEO Dr. Helga Rippen. "We are pleased that the Duke Endowment shares our vision to expand and enhance the incredible infrastructure we’ve built together across South Carolina. HSSC and its supported organizations welcome the opportunity to work even more closely with North Carolina’s universities and health systems to address the serious health issues that threaten our states.”
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