For 30 years, the Regional Medical Center (RMC) has served the Orangeburg-Calhoun communities at its current site on St. Matthews Road. Many changes have taken place through these years, including the explosion in healthcare technology; however, the focus remains to “always put the patient first”.

Less than a year ago, RMC adopted new mission and vision statements that streamline this focus and keys in on what drives the “Regional Way”. The mission is “To deliver high quality, compassionate care to everyone we touch every day,” and RMC’s vision is “To provide nationally recognized healthcare to everyone with compassion, quality, service and efficiency”.

The RMC of today originated as a small, private hospital started by Dr. Charles A. Mobley in 1919 and was located on East Glover Street. A new building was built on Carolina Avenue, and Tri-County Hospital opened on August 19, 1937, with 82 employees and a capacity of 100 beds.

Dedication ceremonies were held May 17, 1981, for the new $26 million hospital on St. Matthews Road, and 128 patients were transferred from Carolina Avenue to the new facility on May 30, 1981.

During construction of the present facility, Calhoun County became a joint owner, and the Calhoun County Council appointed their county’s first board members in 1981. The hospital's name was officially changed to Orangeburg-Calhoun Regional Hospital in 1985.

A milestone in 1986 was the opening of a 15-bed psychiatric unit, Rose Centre. The unit is housed on a renovated wing of the pediatrics unit.

To reflect the hospital's expanding role as a center for medical care in the lower Midlands, the name was changed to The Regional Medical Center of Orangeburg & Calhoun Counties (TRMC) in 1988.

Changes in the healthcare environment led to the first major expansion at the St. Matthews Road site. In 1990, two new wings added two new entrances to the medical center. The Admitting/Outpatient wing brought all patient account services into one area and provided new space for several other departments, such as Same Day Surgery. Designed to function as a freestanding service, the Same Day Surgery wing is the result of the need to accommodate the explosive increase of outpatient surgery. The program, which started in 1983 in “makeshift quarters,” evolved to 60 percent of surgery being performed on a same-day basis and the need for a dedicated Same Day Surgery wing.

The year, 1992, was a year of milestones and many changes. A ribbon cutting and open house event was held on May 28 for The H. Filmore Mabry Center For Cancer Care on the hospital’s campus. Offering a comprehensive outpatient program of chemotherapy and radiation therapy, the facility opened for patient care in June.

August 1992 marked the completion of renovations that consolidated the labor and delivery and obstetrics/gynecology areas on Her Place and paved the way for implementing single-room maternity care.

The following month, the first patients were admitted to the hospital’s new 20-bed inpatient Rehabilitation Unit, located on fourth floor.

Early in 1993, the hospital’s chief executive officer, H. Filmore “Fil” Mabry, who had served more than 30 years in that role, announced his plans to retire by year’s end. A few months later, the hospital’s Board of Trustees entered an agreement with Quorum Health Resources, Inc., a Tennessee-based hospital management firm, to assist in the management responsibilities of the hospital and with the Board’s search for a new CEO.

Thomas C. "Tom" Dandridge began full-time duties as TRMC's CEO on November 8, 1993. Throughout the '90s, TRMC experienced much growth with advancements in healthcare technology, state-of-the-art equipment and a commitment to community outreach and health and wellness initiatives.

TRMC moved into the 21st century with a comprehensive renovation and expansion of the Emergency Department and a focus on customer service.

In March 2001, the hospital began a new era in communications technology with the launch of a Web site.

HealthPlex, a new 14,335 square-foot facility featuring outpatient rehabilitation and wellness services, was added on RMC’s campus in 2004.

The hospital introduced a new logo in 2005 and soon thereafter began using “RMC” in lieu of “TRMC” on second reference.

Also in 2005, the new outpatient Vascular Center opened in RMC’s Annex building.

One of RMC’s milestones in 2006 was the opening of the new Breast Health Center, which offers digital mammography and has a Boutique that carries a selection of skin care products, prostheses and wigs.

RMC embarked on a hospital-wide information technology system upgrade in the summer of 2008, with a “go live” at the end of 2009.

In 2010, RMC installed the Toshiba AquilionŽ 64 Computed Tomography scanner, the only one in this area. This highly sophisticated diagnostic imaging technology provides physicians with precise images of any area of the body, including the rapidly moving heart and lungs. Another milestone in the Radiology Department in 2010 was the installation of a Siemens Artis Zee Special Procedures Unit. The room was completely remodeled and expanded, and this state-of-the-art technology allows a glimpse inside of the body to diagnose vascular disease as well as perform therapeutic procedures. Another milestone of 2010 occurred in the Operating Room; a room was completely renovated to develop a hybrid Surgical Suite. This state-of-the-art technology allows surgeons to visualize vascular structures and intervene as necessary to improve blood flow.

The Dialysis Access Institute was established at RMC in March 2011. Utilizing existing space in the Inpatient/Outpatient Registration area and various other areas, this new service consists of outpatient surgical procedures that provide access to the bloodstream for dialysis patients.

Celebrating 30 years at the St. Matthews Road site and more than 90 years of healthcare, RMC offers the community a multitude of programs and specialty services, led by its greatest asset, a caring, compassionate team of healthcare professionals and volunteers.