As the 164th president of the South Carolina Medical Association, I’ve had the privilege of attending three out of the four South Carolina medical school graduations and white coat ceremonies. I have been inspired by the words shared with our newest medical students as they don their white coats for the first time and with our graduating physicians before beginning residencies. A common message resonated — now more than ever, well-trained physicians are essential to the health of South Carolinians.
My presidential address at the annual meeting in Columbia launched a platform focused on preserving and strengthening physician-directed healthcare. As many of you know, this model has come under increasing pressure during the first half of the legislative session. Some advocate for expanding the scope of practice for non-physician providers as a way to increase access. While we agree that access must improve, we firmly believe this is not the right solution. Physician-led care remains the safest, most effective, and most cost-efficient model.
The SCMA is encouraged to have legislative allies who support our position, such as Senator Danny Verdin. His Team Based Health Care Act reflects many of the ideas in my presidential address. It expands access while preserving quality by reaffirming a structured care team model. Under this model, advanced practice registered nurses and physician assistants would practice in collaboration with and under the direction of a licensed physician. It’s a balanced approach — expanding access without compromising standards.
The bill also calls for strategies to support care in rural and underserved communities. This includes loan repayment incentives, expanded telehealth use, new payment models, and investments in medical education and residency pipelines. It is a forward-thinking framework to responsibly grow our healthcare workforce, while keeping physicians at the center of care.
During the summer recess, multiple hearings have occurred and will continue until session resumes in January. We welcome ongoing discussions with policymakers and stakeholders. Even a legislator who has opposed physician-led care recently admitted that the best care comes from the local family doctor. We agree — and that goal remains achievable today.
The SCMA continues to advocate for physician-led care in all settings, particularly where patients need it most. We fully support the important role that nurse practitioners and physician assistants play on the care team and support increasing the number of all qualified providers. But leadership by physicians is what ensures the best outcomes.
This is a pivotal moment for our profession — one that calls for both vision and unity. The SCMA is committed to making South Carolina a physician-friendly state, increasing the number of physicians who train and stay here, and improving practice conditions to prevent burnout and early retirements. Together, we can improve the health of all South Carolinians.
I thank all the physicians that came to the State House in September to the Senate scope of practice hearings. The many physicians physically present sent a strong message to our senators. Many were able to speak; however, the hearings were long and physicians understandably had to return to caring for our patients. We will continue to work with physicians to get our actual voices heard. Our team will keep our membership abreast of opportunities as they arise to discuss with our elected officials.
I strongly encourage you to email or call your senator and the members of the Senate Medical Affairs Committee to voice your support for S.669 (strengthens team collaboration) and opposition to S.44 and S.45 (eliminate physician-led healthcare). I additionally request that you support our profession by donating to SCMedPAC. Your contributions are critical to the success of our advocacy efforts and allow us to fight for a physician South Carolina.
Donate to SCMedPacThis is the time to act. Together, we can ensure that all South Carolinians receive the high-quality,
cost-effective, physician-led healthcare they deserve.
Thank you for your participation, emails, calls, and donations.
Henry F. “Fritz” Butehorn III, MD
President, South Carolina Medical Association
