The University of South Carolina is building momentum on becoming the state’s premier hub for neurological patient care and research.
Sarah Kirby, USC’s associate vice president for clinical affairs, briefed the Board of Trustees on Friday, Feb. 20, on the university’s efforts to develop a comprehensive system of care that could transform health care in the state — a statewide network of brain health clinics, a brain health center and South Carolina’s first stand-alone neurological hospital and rehabilitation center.
This level of care is crucial in a state that ranks among the highest for stroke and traumatic brain injury-related deaths, as well as for residents living with chronic neurological disorders, including epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
“Everyone knows or will know someone suffering with a neurological condition,” Kirby said. “We need to remove obstacles to timely care, connect patients with the right resources and offer the highest level of support for families and the patients that we serve.”
The Brain Health Network, started in January 2024, provides timely cognitive screenings, evaluations and community-based support services for patients in seven underserved areas across South Carolina. The network’s team-based, outpatient care model supports both patients and caregivers — addressing the growing need for early detection and management of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
The Brain Health Center will open in March in Columbia as the hub for the Brain Health Network, where patients with more complex needs can access specialized diagnostics, an infusion center and the state’s highest-resolution brain imaging machine. The center also will serve as a base for community education and prevention, featuring classes and workshops.
The planned neurological hospital and rehabilitation center will deliver inpatient and rehabilitation services to patients with complex neurological conditions requiring the highest level of care. They will receive treatment from a well-respected team of medical and rehabilitation professionals using cutting-edge technology. USC is working in collaboration with the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab — the nation’s No. 1-ranked rehabilitation hospital — to plan the new facility.
Along with the Brain Health Center, the facility will open on USC’s Health Sciences Campus in Columbia’s BullStreet District. The campus will be the new home of the School of Medicine Columbia and is a proposed site for new College of Pharmacy facilities.
Kirby highlighted that the hospital and rehabilitation center will serve as a resource for other health care systems across South Carolina, working in collaboration to elevate health care delivery in the state. HDR, a firm that specializes in the construction of health care facilities, has been selected to design the project.
“To put it simply: USC’s goal is to deliver world-class care to patients with brain injuries or diseases,” Kirby said. “We want to partner with caregivers, health systems and researchers who can help us achieve that goal.”