Carolina Care Plan Adds Roper St. Francis Healthcare to Its Network

Carolina Care Plan today announced the addition of Roper St. Francis Healthcare to its network effective March 1, 2006.  Now, Carolina Care Plan members can go to any Roper St. Francis Healthcare facility they choose.  Roper St. Francis Healthcare includes 20 facilities/services located in Charleston, Berkeley, Dorchester and Colleton counties.  The agreement includes Roper Hospital (located in downtown Charleston), Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital (located West of the Ashley), and Roper Rehabilitation Hospital, as well as affiliated freestanding facilities for 24-hour emergency and urgent care, diagnostic laboratory and radiology services, and outpatient surgery.

“We’re pleased to be part of the Carolina Care Plan network and look forward to serving its members and their healthcare needs,” said Ellen Jackson, Vice President for Managed Care and Physician Services at Roper St. Francis.   “The expanded network now provides Carolina Care Plan members with greater choice in healthcare providers, creating a more attractive benefits package for employers.”

“We believe this is a great opportunity for a local, community-focused health plan like Carolina Care Plan to partner with a premier healthcare organization such as Roper St. Francis. More choices for quality, affordable healthcare is always better,” explained Robert M. Dickes, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Carolina Care Plan. “We expect the hospital-based physicians like anesthesiologists, radiologists, etc. to sign direct contracts with Carolina Care Plan very soon, as well.  With this new hospital partner, the Charleston market is well covered by Carolina Care Plan. We are all very excited about the potential for substantial membership growth in the Charleston area.”

Earlier this month, Roper St. Francis Healthcare was recognized in Modern Healthcare magazine as one of the Top 100 Best Performing Integrated Healthcare Networks in the country. 

In addition, the organization in 2005 received 63 national awards for patient, physician and employee satisfaction.

Roper St. Francis offers specialized care and treatment in the following areas: Women’s and Children’s Services; Spine; Minimally Invasive Surgery; Cancer; Heart and Vascular; Emergency Medicine, and Joint Replacement.  It also offers the state’s only Bloodless Medicine and Surgery Program.  In addition, Roper St. Francis has received state and national accreditation for its Chest Pain Center, Cancer Center, Radiation Therapy and Bone Marrow Transplant programs, and the Lowcountry Senior Center. 

About Roper St. Francis Healthcare

Roper Hospital was founded in 1850 as the first community hospital in the Carolinas. Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital opened its doors in 1882 as St. Francis Xavier Infirmary, the first Catholic hospital in South Carolina.

On August 1, 1998, Roper and Bon Secours St. Francis Hospitals combined their resources to form an integrated health system known today as Roper St. Francis Healthcare. Together, our hospitals represent more than 150 years of providing high quality, personalized healthcare.

Roper St. Francis Healthcare is the South Carolina Lowcountry's only non-governmental, not-for-profit healthcare organization. The 594-bed system comprises 20 facilities/services in four counties. Member hospitals include Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital, Roper Hospital, and Roper Rehabilitation Hospital as well as freestanding centers for 24-hour emergency and urgent care, diagnostic laboratory and radiology, outpatient surgery and more.

With more than 3,800 employees, Roper St. Francis Healthcare is the area’s largest private employer. Its medical staff includes more than 700 physicians representing every medical specialty. Ranked among the Top 100 Integrated Health Networks in the nation, Roper St. Francis Healthcare recently earned 63 National Awards recognizing high levels of patient, physician, and employee satisfaction. A recent study conducted by the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce measured the total economic impact of Roper St. Francis Healthcare at $674 million.

About Carolina Care Plan 

Carolina Care Plan, Inc. is a state-wide health plan serving over 70,000 members throughout the state of South Carolina. Committed and dedicated to providing access to quality health care at affordable premiums through a spectrum of benefit plans to meet the needs of employers, employees, individuals and Medicare beneficiaries. We offer our members access to over 6,000 physicians, 60 hospitals and a national pharmacy network. Our mission statement is: “Deliver quality, accessible, affordable, user-friendly health care choices in South Carolina.”

Founded as Physician’s Health Plan, Inc. in 1984, Carolina Care Plan, Inc., based in Columbia, we are a wholly-owned, for-profit subsidiary of South Carolina Physicians Care Charity, Inc. The company also has regional sales and service offices in Greenville and Charleston.