By Dennis Quick
Senior Staff Writer

A strong economy and a growing Lowcountry population are propelling North Charleston-based Trident Health System toward what President and CEO Terry Gunn considers a dynamic future.

“Because of residential and industrial growth, I’m optimistic about where our community is going,” says Gunn. The community he’s referring to includes Berkeley and Dorchester counties in addition to parts of North Charleston, which comprise Trident’s market.

That growth translates into more Trident expansions, notes Gunn, who oversees three hospitals—Trident Medical Center in North Charleston, Summerville Medical Center and Colleton Medical Center in Walterboro—plus seven diagnostic centers and three ambulatory surgery centers.

With about 2,000 employees, the 522-bed health system is the Lowcountry’s fourth-largest private employer. Last year Trident paid more than $24.2 million in state, federal and property taxes. Its payroll generated an economic impact exceeding $93.4 million.

Those numbers are likely to grow with the region’s population and Trident’s inevitable expansions, says Gunn. However, he refrains from making future employment growth and economic impact projections.

Between 2000 and 2004, Trident admissions increased from 19,925 to nearly 21,150, with Summerville Medical Center accounting for the bulk of the increase. Trident Medical Center made more than $48.4 million for the 12-month period ending March 31, 2004, while Colleton Medical Center lost more than $4 million for the period ending Dec. 31, 2003 due to Medicare reimbursements, according to the latest figures from the American Hospital Directory. Financial information for Summerville Medical Center was not available.

Expansion has become almost second nature to Trident. Last year the health care provider completed a $60 million addition to its North Charleston hospital that created more operating rooms, recovery rooms and waiting areas and enlarged the ambulatory surgery center. The project closely followed a $28 million expansion that enlarged the hospital’s emergency room. Meanwhile, Summerville Medical Center’s $11.8 million expansion adding eight new emergency rooms will be completed this summer, according to Trident spokeswoman Tracie Blackmon.

Looking five years ahead, Gunn sees further expansion to Trident hospital. Although offering no specifics, he anticipates the facility adding more floors. Also, several more diagnostic centers probably will be built throughout the tri-county area. Expansion at Trident’s Moncks Corner ER and diagnostics facility is likely to happen within the next five years, Gunn says.

In addition to more ER and diagnostic services, Trident expects growth in its heart and vascular, cancer, women’s and children’s health, orthopedic and neurological services, Gunn says.

Also, Trident anticipates growth in three treatment areas that are alternative procedures to surgery.

Trident doctors are treating carotid artery disease by using a stent-and-filter system recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Carotid artery disease occurs when the carotid arteries, located on each side of the neck, harden from plaque buildup. This buildup blocks blood flow to the brain, which can cause a stroke. Doctors treat the disease by placing a stent, or catheter, in the carotid artery to hold it open and then using a balloon and a filter to remove the plaque. The hour-long procedure requires an overnight hospital stay.

To treat spinal fractures due to osteoporosis, a disease in which bones in the spine, hips and wrist become brittle, doctors are using a needle to inject cement into the fracture, thus stabilizing it. A small balloon is then inserted and inflated to raise the collapsed vertebra to its normal position.

Radiologists are treating fibroid tumors, masses of fibrous tissue that grow in the uterus and cause excessive bleeding, abdominal swelling, pressure on the bowel or bladder and infertility, by threading a blood-blocking tube in the uterine arteries. Starving the tumors of blood causes them to shrink.

Gunn, who took over as president and CEO at Trident in September, says Trident is “not loaded down with debt” and therefore primed to make more capital investments.

“It’s exciting to be experiencing the kind of growth we are,” he says.

Dennis Quick covers health and wellness for the Business Journal. E-mail him at dquick@crbj.com.

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