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DORCHESTER COUNTY, S.C. (WCIV) — A building that once served as a women’s detention center in St. George is now set to serve a very different purpose – healthcare.

Dorchester County leaders and The Medical University of South Carolina Health cut the ribbon on a new primary care facility Monday morning, unveiling a renovated space that converts former jail cells into exam rooms. The transformation is part of a broader effort to expand healthcare access in rural Dorchester County and reduce the need for residents to travel long distances for basic medical care.

“When you walk in there today, you see a number of exam rooms. When they began this process, they were cells — now they’re exam rooms," said David Chinnis, the chairman of the Dorchester County Council. "It’s an incredible transformation."

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County leaders say expanding healthcare options in western Dorchester County has been a long-term priority. For years, many residents in St. George and surrounding communities have had to drive outside the area to see a doctor.

“Folks were driving to North Charleston, they were driving to Orangeburg for healthcare,” Chinnis said, adding that the county initially tried to recruit emergency care providers to the area but received “zero feedback” through formal requests for proposals.

The newly renovated, 6,300-square-foot facility includes seven exam rooms and will offer primary care services such as wellness visits, chronic condition management, telehealth appointments and occupational health services.

MUSC leaders say bringing those services closer to home can make a significant difference for rural patients.

“When you need health care, you need it right then, and sometimes that travel makes it really, really hard to get timely care,” said Dr. Alka Kohli, chief medical officer for MUSC Physicians. “Having something in your own community allows us to provide that right at home.”

Kohli said the clinic is focused not only on treating illness, but also on prevention — helping patients manage their health before small issues become major problems.

“In addition to primary care, we have the ability [for] annual well checks and telehealth chronic care management and occupational health,” Kohli said.

County leaders say the project came together through a combination of federal and local funding. Chinnis said the county used approximately $2.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds, along with a $1 million USDA grant, to renovate the building rather than construct a new one. Additional state and federal funding will help outfit the facility and support future phases, including expanded imaging services.

Leaders described the clinic as part of a broader regional investment in healthcare infrastructure — not just for St. George, but for surrounding communities as well.

“It’s a Dorchester County project, but it is a regional healthcare facility that’s going to help folks in the entire region,” Chinnis said.

The clinic is expected to open to patients on March 2, 2026.

Dorchester County facility converts former detention center into primary, occupational health clinic

ST. GEORGE, S.C. (WCSC) — Dorchester County marked the opening of a new health care facility in St. George Monday, converting a former women’s detention center into a more than 6,300-square-foot health clinic.

Agencies that teamed up to make the clinic happen held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the facility that offers primary and occupational health services to residents of the small rural community and the surrounding region.

The building, which previously housed a women’s detention center, now contains seven exam rooms.

“It’s an incredible transformation,” David Chinnis, Dorchester County council chairman, said.

Alka Kohli, chief medical officer for MUSC Physicians, said the change carries significance beyond the physical space.

“To see those doors and to see those rooms where we will now provide care, is such a difference from what it was,” Kohli said.

Three organizations will operate from the location: MUSC Health, the South Carolina Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities and the Dorchester Drug and Alcohol Commission.

The clinic will offer by-appointment, in-person and virtual visits for annual wellness physicals, vaccinations, nutritional and dietary support, sick and injury visits, chronic condition management, lab testing and more.

Chinnis said the facility is intended to keep residents from traveling long distances for care.

“They’re not driving to the north area to the doctor’s office. They can stay here in St. George and it doesn’t take an hour to get there,” Chinnis said.

Kohli said having care providers embedded in the community is central to the facility’s mission.

“It becomes much more meaningful when you have care providers that live in the community, because it is also about building trust in healthcare. When you come in and you see someone who lives in your community that is now your healthcare provider and is helping you put together the pieces, that takes healthcare to a whole different level,” Kohli said.

The clinic was made possible through a $1 million USDA grant and approximately $2.5 million in ARPA funding. Additional support came from nearly $200,000 from the Southeast Crescent Region Commission and just over $700,000 from Sen. Lindsey Graham, designated for a mobile MRI unit and X-ray equipment.

Strategic planning for the facility began in 2017. A second phase of the project is expected to be completed in 2027.

The clinic is scheduled to open on March 2.

Patients who would like to schedule an appointment or learn more can click here or call 843-985-4690.

Thomas Edward Jordan, Sr. Obituary

Thomas Edward Jordan, Sr., 70, husband of Barbara Jordan, entered into eternal rest on Wednesday, February 25, 2026.

A Memorial Service will be held 3:00 PM, Sunday, March 1, 2026, at St. George Methodist Church. The family will receive friends an hour before the service in the church.

Edward was born on May 29, 1955, in Orangeburg, a son of Miriam Berry Jordan and the late Cecil Bryan Jordan. He was a 1973 graduate and lifetime supporter of Dorchester Academy. Edward deeply loved his career in the John Deere family business and his customer relationships with him. Edward was equally dedicated to his community as evidenced in his 27 years served on St. George Town Council and his devotion to the St. George Fire Department where he was active until 2012. He was a member and Past Master of Harmony Lodge #61 and a member of St. George Methodist Church. He loved NHRA drag racing, muscle cars and collecting antique John Deere tractors. He was an avid Clemson University supporter and fan.

Surviving are his wife, Barbara Jordan, of the home; mother of his children, Linda C. Jordan; children, Thomas E. (Kristen) Jordan, Jr., St. George, Rebecca J. (Kendall) Hill, Walterboro and Andrew (Kayla) Jordan, Bowman; grandchildren, Emma Grace and Lucy Hill, Khloe and Kallie Jordan, Samantha Gabaldon, Huntington Beach, CA; mother, Miriam Jordan; brothers, C. Bryan (Joye) Jordan, St. George and W. Grady (Kim) Jordan, Clemson; and a sister, Shirley J. (Joey) Westbury, Eutawville; an abundance of nieces and nephews.

Memorials may be made to Dorchester Academy, Booster Club, 234 Academy Road, St. George, SC 29477.

Events

There are no events scheduled.

You can still show your support by sending flowers directly to the family, or plant a tree in memory of Thomas Edward Jordan, Sr..