Providers Invest in Technology to Keep Greenville Area Residents Healthier
Greenville, South Carolina, residents receive top health care treatment.
World-class innovation, technological advances and life-altering research in health care are just minutes away for residents who call the Greenville area home.
The medical team at Bon Secours St. Francis Health System is saving lives using robots, artificial intelligence and other technology, effectively transforming how surgeries are performed, streamlining disinfection and resulting in better patient outcomes.
“We are able to do smaller incisions to perform more complex operations,” says Dr. Jessica Gonzalez Hernandez, chief of surgery.
Having just completed her 100th robotic bariatric surgery, Gonzalez Hernandez raves about the patient benefits, including reduced risk for infection, less need for blood transfusions, less scarring, shorter hospital stays, as well as reduced pain and discomfort, which allows for a faster recovery and faster return to work.
While they are an important tool, Bruce Swords, chief clinical officer, emphasizes the tandem effort behind the successful outcomes.
“These robots are nearly useless without being in the hands of a skilled surgeon,” he says.
‘Hollywood’ Technology Helps the Children
The Motion Analysis Center, or MAC, is playing a leading role at Shriners Children’s Greenville, where care is provided for children with a range of orthopedic and neuromuscular conditions such as muscular dystrophy and cerebral palsy.
MAC is a similar state-of-the-art technology utilized to create special eff ects in Hollywood’s biggest blockbusters. Using reflective markers placed on the body, high-speed cameras and forcemeasuring plates beneath the floor, the comprehensive examination of each child’s gait results in pinpoint accuracy in determining the best course of treatment.
Established in 1994, the local Shriners hospital is the one facility in the Southeast recognized by the Commission for Motion Laboratory Accreditation Inc. to offer the service, which is only available in 17 other U.S. locations. Access to the MAC – like all other services at Shriners Children’s Greenville – is available regardless of a family’s ability to pay or insurance status.
NICU Care Leader
With a strong legacy of care, Prisma Health is on a journey to transform the health care experience of the nearly 1.5 million unique patients they annually serve in a 21-county market – an area that covers half of South Carolina. It is the state’s largest private, nonprofit, health care system.
Prisma Health Greenville Memorial Hospital and Children’s Hospital are health care leaders in the Upstate.
The children’s hospital offers comprehensive, whole-child care in more than 35 pediatric specialties, and 200 additional specialty-trained staff are available on-site 24/7. The Level III Bryan Neonatal Intensive Care Unit offers the region’s largest, most advanced level of specialty care for 900 premature or critically ill infants yearly.
Additionally, Prisma Health is one of the state’s top perinatal teaching centers.
They partner with the University of South Carolina, Clemson University and Furman University to offer medical residencies, internships and other training programs.
World-Class Cancer Research
One of South Carolina’s largest health care systems, Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System, has been a trusted community partner for a century and has developed a reputation for technical excellence.
Located just off Interstate 85 in nearby Greer, the Pelham Medical Center provides a wide range of services including surgery, primary care, intensive care, emergency services and a certified Primary Stroke Center. Its Spine Program has garnered top ratings from four leading national organizations, including U.S. News & World Report (2021-22).
Patients can find state-of-the-art cancer care at the newly opened 191,000-square-foot Gibbs Cancer Center, including the specialized CyberKnife technology, a painless, noninvasive alternative to surgery. The center also offers a formalized second opinion clinic, providing patients input from a team of cancer specialists and other medical professionals who review and evaluate treatment plans.
Get to Know Greenville
Want to learn more about living and working in Greenville? Check out the latest edition of Livability Greenville, SC: Live Here. Love Here. Career Here.
