CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – The Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) and Volvo Car US Operations Inc. (Volvo Cars) have signed an agreement for MUSC to deliver health care services at its new auto production facility in Ridgeville, S.C. MUSC will staff and operate a health clinic to serve some 3,900 Volvo workers. The Swedish auto manufacturer is investing more than $1 billion in the Berkeley County plant, which is scheduled to open later this year.
“Building healthy communities is one of the five goals of our strategy for the future,” said David J. Cole, M.D., MUSC president. “Two effective ways to achieve that goal are to develop community partners who share our vision for health and to continually innovate in the health care arena. That’s why we’re extending our top-quality MUSC Health clinical care services. We need to be where people live, work, play and learn. To serve our community best, MUSC teams must be trusted, forward-thinking partners, working to prevent situations like repetitive workplace injuries.”
“MUSC Business Health partners with employers to improve the health of their team members through a variety of channels, including on-site clinics, convenient ambulatory facilities, e-visits, telehealth, emergency care and hospitalization, if necessary,” said Patrick J. Cawley, M.D., CEO for MUSC Health and vice president for Health Affairs, University. “Working with the Volvo Cars team has been wonderful. They are a leading-edge company that is focused on optimizing the health of their team. We look forward to our ongoing engagement with them.”
MUSC Business Health providers will collaborate with the Volvo Cars team to deliver a full range of health services that include: on-site injury treatment and prevention; ergonomic observations and recommendations; selected immunizations; and a variety of screenings and tests. MUSC team members will also work closely with the Volvo Cars team to serve employees who need treatment beyond the scope of what the on-site clinic can provide. Although the plant is not ready for full operation at this time, the health clinic is already staffed and open to serve the Volvo team.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics in the U.S. Department of Labor, there were approximately 2.9 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses reported by private industry employers in 2016, which occurred at a rate of 2.9 cases per 100 full-time equivalent workers. The 2016 rate of total recordable cases (TRC) for four private industries – construction, manufacturing, wholesale trade, and retail trade – experienced statistically significant declines in the TRC rate of occupational injuries and illnesses in 2016.
