MEDUCARE is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to provide speed and quality care in transporting critically ill or injured patients. MEDUCARE dispatchers arrange approximately 800 emergent and nonemergent calls each month. MEDUCARE can help referring physicians determine which mode of transportation and medical team is best for their patients' specific situations. Three teams are available. The MEDUCARE air critical care team consists of a nurse and a paramedic. The pediatric/neonatal critical care team includes a nurse and a respiratory therapist. The ground critical care team consists of a critical care paramedic, a paramedic and an emergency medical technician. Ground transport is available for advanced life support (ALS) and more routine transfers, and this team can assist with any level of care required. MEDUCARE has a satellite station at Georgetown Memorial Hospital and Waccamaw Hospital at Murrels Inlet. At these sites, an ALS ambulance is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  Transport by helicopter
The twin engine MEDUCARE helicopter is designed to complement and support emergency medical services when a patient's condition requires intensive medical attention en route; distance causes serious delays in definitive medical care; or ambulances are hindered by road conditions, traffic congestion or inaccessibility.
The aircraft is fully equipped with life support equipment and other medical supplies for virtually any emergency situation. The MEDUCARE helicopter travels within a 110-mile radius of Charleston and most commonly is used for trauma, neonatal, pediatric and cardiac patients. Physicians should call MEDUCARE regardless of the weather. The pilot will determine the safety of weather conditions. Transport by airplane
A fixed-wing airplane service is available for emergent and nonemergent transports across the United States and Canada if necessary. The airplane is used for distances greater than 100 miles. It is medically equipped just like the helicopter. This service also is available for returning patients to their hometowns after treatment. For example, a referring physician may have a patient who was injured in an automobile accident in South Carolina and has no other means of getting home, or to a local hospital or rehabilitation facility. Transport by ambulance
MEDUCARE ambulances are used for transports to and from referring hospitals and MUSC. Ambulances are available for advanced and basic life support, as well as critical care for neonatal, pediatric and adult patients. These ambulances can support your local ambulance services for MUSC patients. Using the MEDUCARE ground ambulance allows the local ambulance to remain in the referring hospital's community, freeing it to respond to local emergency calls. Arrangements for emergency admission to MUSC
To arrange for emergency admission to MUSC, contact the appropriate MUSC Medical Center staff physician by calling the toll-free MEDULINE number at 800-922-5250. To arrange transportation, call MEDUCARE at 792-3311 in the Charleston area or 800-423-1330 nationwide. MEDUCARE will coordinate the arrangements for transport, and determine the appropriate transport mode and team. MEDCUARE always contacts the referring facility to obtain information needed for transport, and promptly notifies the MUSC Medical Center staff physician of transportation arrangements and approximate time of arrival. If the referring physician has already spoken with the receiving physician, and the receiving physician arranges transport to MUSC, then there is no need to call MEDUCARE. | 
