MT. PLEASANT, S.C. – As industry leaders in patient experience and care innovation, Novant Health and Southeastern Spine Institute (SSI) have a shared vision to continue elevating the Charleston area as a destination for expert spine care. In pursuit of this goal, effective Jan. 1, SSI has joined Novant Health.
“Novant Health looks forward to building on SSI’s legacy of providing the best spine care to our Lowcountry communities and beyond,” said Dean Swindle, executive vice president and chief strategy officer, Novant Health and president of Novant Health Enterprises. “Together, we will strengthen the world-class services already offered in the Charleston area and extend their expertise to more patients in the Southeast, helping patients overcome injuries and pain so they may quickly return to enjoying life.”
For more than 30 years, SSI has been a premier clinic for life-changing spine procedures including surgery and nonsurgical care, rehabilitation, pain management, physical therapy and advanced imaging. Innovation and a patient-centered approach – rapid diagnosis, surgery, rehabilitation – are what draw more than 50% of SSI patients from outside of the greater Charleston area.
"This affiliation begins an exciting new chapter for our team and patients,” said Dr. Steven Poletti, orthopedic spine surgeon and founder of Southeastern Spine Institute. “Partnering with Novant Health enables us to enhance the scope and accessibility of our services, bringing innovative and comprehensive spine care to even more patients."
SSI is located in a 65,000-square-foot state-of-the-art facility on the campus of East Cooper Medical Center in Mount Pleasant, recently purchased by Novant Health, that features six ambulatory surgery and outpatient procedure rooms, “wide-bore” MRIs, an in-house pharmacy and physical therapy center to support its 20 clinicians, including spine surgeons, neurosurgeons, sports medicine orthopedic specialists, nonsurgical rehab doctors and pain management specialists.
The addition of SSI is the latest of several recent long-term investments by Novant Health in the Palmetto State. In February, Novant Health purchased East Cooper Medical Center, Hilton Head Medical Center and Coastal Carolina Hospital in Hardeeville as well as the 27 physician practices associated with those hospitals. Novant Health also recently purchased 11.5 acres in Greenville, as well as UCI Medical Affiliates, which included 52 Doctors Care urgent care clinics and 20 Progressive Physical Therapy clinics across the state and has announced plans to build a new full-service, community hospital campus in Bluffton.