(September 10, 2025) Community partners help fund new emergency equipment for MUSC Health Chester Medical Center

CHESTER, S.C. (Sept. 10, 2025)- MUSC Health Chester Medical Center has received more than $24,000 in community support to purchase state-of-the-art point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) equipment for its Emergency Department. The Chester Healthcare Foundation contributed a $20,000 matching grant, and the Chester County Medical Society donated over $4,100 from its remaining funds, helping bring this lifesaving technology to Chester County residents. This advanced diagnostic tool will enable emergency clinicians to make faster, more accurate assessments in critical situations, improving patient outcomes for residents of Chester County and surrounding areas.

The POCUS machine is a portable ultrasound device used at the patient's bedside or wherever care is needed. It plays a vital role in rapidly diagnosing and treating life-threatening conditions, such as internal bleeding, ruptured ectopic pregnancies, abdominal aortic aneurysms, collapsed lungs, pulmonary embolisms and other critical emergencies, without the delay of transporting patients to a separate imaging area.

"As the only hospital in Chester County, we have a responsibility to ensure our Emergency Department is equipped to deliver the highest-quality care when every second counts," said J. Scott Broome, CEO of MUSC Health's Catawba Division. "This generous gift from the Chester Healthcare Foundation and Chester County Medical Society directly supports that mission and will help our clinicians to save lives by giving them the tools they need to act quickly and decisively."

The Chester Healthcare Foundation's grant covers over 40% of the equipment cost, with MUSC Health investing the remaining amount. The Chester County Medical Society's donation represents the organization's final act of service after decades of uniting local physicians in support of community health.

William H. Bundy, president and CEO of the Chester Healthcare Foundation, added, "By partnering with MUSC Health, we ensure that residents have access to the best possible care close to home. This investment will benefit the Chester community for years to come."

"This gift represents the history and spirit of the Chester County Medical Society," said A. Douglas Marion, M.D., a longtime member. "We are proud to see these funds put to use in a way that directly benefits patients and strengthens care close to home."

With the nearest alternative Emergency Department 40 minutes away, the new POCUS machine strengthens MUSC Health Chester Medical Center's ability to deliver advanced, lifesaving care. The hospital recently became the ninth in South Carolina to earn Pediatric Emergency Medicine Prepared certification and continues to expand its emergency services, including air transport for patients requiring higher levels of care.

###

About MUSC

Founded in 1824 in Charleston, MUSC is the state's only comprehensive academic health system, with a mission to preserve and optimize human life in South Carolina through education, research and patient care. Each year, MUSC educates over 3,300 students in six colleges and trains more than 1,060 residents and fellows across its health system. MUSC leads the state in federal, National Institutes of Health and other research funding. For information on our academic programs, visit MUSC.edu.

As the health care system of the Medical University of South Carolina, MUSC Health is dedicated to delivering the highest-quality and safest patient care while educating and training generations of outstanding health care providers and leaders to serve the people of South Carolina and beyond. In 2025, for the 11th consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report named MUSC Health University Medical Center in Charleston the No. 1 hospital in South Carolina. To learn more about clinical patient services, visit MUSCHealth.org.

MUSC has a total enterprise annual operating budget of $8.3 billion. The nearly 34,000 MUSC members include world-class faculty, physicians, specialty providers, scientists, contract employees, affiliates and care team members who deliver groundbreaking education, research and patient care.