JANUARY 2019 PROGRESSIONS: RMC offering robotic-arm assisted joint replacement procedures

Regional Medical Center announced in January that it is the first medical facility in the Tri-County region to offer robotic-arm assisted total knee and total hip replacements with Stryker’s Mako System.

This highly advanced robotic technology transforms the way joint replacement surgery is performed, enabling surgeons to have a more predictable surgical experience with increased accuracy.

Mental health court planned for Orangeburg County

Orangeburg County is developing plans for a special court to divert adult nonviolent offenders with mental illness from the criminal justice system into treatment.

The S.C. Department of Mental Health wants to create a court in Orangeburg and one other county this year through a three-year grant totaling $1.2 million from the Duke Endowment.

Advanced ICU Care launches tele-ICU services with RMC

Advanced ICU Care, the nation’s leading provider of high-acuity telemedicine services, announced that the Regional Medical Center (RMC) has implemented the company’s tele-ICU care services. The tele-ICU care will support patients in the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit and Coronary Care Unit.

RMC replacing 181 beds; hospital plans to spend $11.4 million on improvements

Michigan-based Stryker Corporation unloaded about 100 new medical surgical beds at the hospital in January as part of the hospital's effort to upgrade its inventory.

A total of 181 medical surgical beds will be replaced throughout the next few weeks and are touted as state of the art by hospital officials.

All critical care beds were replaced last year and next month the hospital will replace ten labor delivery and recovery beds.

The hospital is planning to spend about $11.4 million on capital improvement items for the 2019-2020 fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30.

Orangeburg surgeon treats carotid artery disease with new technique

Dion Franga, MD FACS, is among the first surgeons in South Carolina to treat carotid artery disease and prevent future strokes using a new procedure called TransCarotid Artery Revascularization (TCAR).

TCAR is a clinically proven, minimally invasive and safe approach for high surgical risk patients who need carotid artery treatment.

Neeses senior center becoming reality

The Seniors Recreation and Leisure Center in Neeses will have its grand opening Sunday, Feb. 9. The new center is located at 220 Park Street.

The center features an open veranda on one end, a foyer with a seating area, an exercise facility and a large meeting room with a stage.

Other features include a kitchen with stainless steel appliances, a pantry, a serving area, four storage areas, two indoor restrooms and two additional restrooms accessible from the outside, as well as seating under the veranda for outdoor gatherings and meetings.

The approximately 4,900-square-foot facility cost nearly $400,000, with much of the funding coming from Orangeburg County penny sales tax revenue.

Town accepts $1.4M bid for new law enforcement center

SANTEE -- Solid Structures LLC will build Santee’s new law enforcement center.

The new building will complete the move of all town offices into a set of buildings on Municipal Way. At present, the police department and municipal clerk’s office share an aging building on Dazzy Circle with the Santee branch library.

Bulldogs receive 2019 MEAC Championship trophy

The South Carolina State University Bulldogs received the 2019 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Championship trophy during a special presentation at halftime of the men’s basketball game versus Florida A&M Jan. 18 at Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center.

The Bulldogs finished 8-3 overall, 6-2 in the conference, capturing their 17th league crown and seventh under Coach Buddy Pough.

Voorhees' Evans named a top HBCU leader

Voorhees College President and CEO Dr. W. Franklin Evans was named one of the Ten Most Dominant Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Leaders of 2020, according to the HBCU Campaign Fund (HCF).

The HCF, a national group that champions student scholarships and services at HBCUs and Predominantly Black Institutions (PBI), compiled a list of 10 chancellors and presidents that currently serve an HBCU or Minority-Serving Institution (MSI) who is a dominant and influential leader that presently displays the following responsibilities in the progress of moving their institutions forward.

Steeple returns to Rivelon Baptist

Rivelon Baptist Church members celebrated the installation of a new, replacement steeple January 20.

Hurricane Matthew blew the church's previous steeple down three years ago.

The new steeple is about 20 feet tall and weighs about 350 pounds.

About $8,000 was raised with about 75 to 100 individuals contributing to the cause of the new steeple.