COLOMBIA, SC (WIS) – After eight months without a permanent leader, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control may have a new boss by the end of the week.
The job candidate, Dr. Edward Simmer, received a unanimous vote to send his nomination to lead DHEC out of the Senate Medical Affairs Committee on Tuesday.
Simmer previously served as Chief Medical Officer and Deputy Director of the TRICARE Health Plan, the country’s ninth largest health system that focuses on providing care to service members and their families when military treatment facilities cannot.
Speaking to lawmakers, Simmer noted his leadership experience, especially in rural communities, and his time helping the military in its response to COVID-19.
When asked what he would have done to improve vaccine implantation in South Carolina if he had been in charge earlier, he pointed to the vaccine scheduling system that frustrated and confused South Carolinaians.
“The original appointment system was not ideal. The call center that was launched on Friday with the support of the new scheduling system that is due to be launched this week will allow people to call the call center to make an appointment that way. They will no longer need to connect to the Internet. “
However, while the new helpline is up and running, DHEC said in a call to reporters on Tuesday that its team is still working to ensure that the scheduling system is ready to meet expected demand.
Simmer is also thinking about improving the health of Southern Carolinians, in addition to the pandemic. He told senators that he wants to focus on improving the social determinants of health, which means he wants to help people have better health, for example, by providing better access to healthy foods and fighting addiction in the state.
“I want us to be as proactive as possible. I want to make sure that we are learning from the current crisis, but from other things we do and making good use of them, ”said Simmer.
Simmer said he wants more municipalities and outreach to speak and listen to citizens. He also mentioned the reach of the community when it comes to encouraging people to sign up for the COVID-19 vaccine.
“I think there is a lot that can be done there, both in terms of mobile units, and I think that if we can have people from these communities actually administer the vaccine. If a DHEC team comes, great, but if the people in the community are really the ones who are giving the vaccine, I think it would be a help and use community resources not only to convince people to get the vaccine, but for the community also manage, “he explained
During his hearing, some lawmakers wondered what Simmer would do if he was pulled in several directions between the governor, the lawmakers and the data. Simmer made it clear that while he hoped he would never conflict with an elected official and tried to prevent that from happening, he would always defend the truth, science and people of South Carolina.
This response gave Senate Medical Committee chairman Danny Verdin, R-Greenville, confidence in Simmer.
“Having a quarterback with a signal caller in place, having the confidence to know that the team is in good hands, will accentuate the provision of service to our people and we will see our best days in response to the pandemic before we do,” said Verdin .
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