CareSouth Carolina provided a total economic impact in the Pee Dee of more than $89.3 million, according to the latest Value & Impact report from Capital Link.

Capital Link is a non-profit organization that has worked with hundreds of health centers and primary care associates for over 20 years to plan for sustainability and growth, access capital, improve and optimize operations and financial management, and articulate value. Capital Link maintains a database of almost 12,000 health centers nationally in any given year.

According to the report, CareSouth Carolina provided 24 percent lower costs for health center Medicaid patients, resulting in $27 million in savings to Medicaid and $59 million in savings to the overall health system.

“We really appreciate getting this report from such a reliable and competent source such as Capital Link,” CareSouth Carolina CEO Ann Lewis said. “Too often we think only of the direct services impact of CareSouth Carolina, but this reminds us of the significant community economic impact. We are CareSouth Carolina — making a difference in the Pee Dee.”

The organization served more than 36,710 patients with 178,098 patient visits, which is a 24.9 percent growth in the past four years. Of the patients CareSouth Carolina serves, 65.7 percent of patients are low income, 8,395 of patients are children and adolescents and 61.9 percent of patients identify as ethnic or racial minorities. Veterans make up 2.6 percent of the patient population and 1.3 percent are agricultural workers.

Of the $89.3 million in total economic impact, $48.3 million is direct health care spending and $41 million is community spending.

CareSouth Carolina is a private, non-profit community health center delivering patient-centered health and life services in 10 cities and towns in five counties in the Pee Dee region of South Carolina. CareSouth Carolina operates centers in Bennettsville, Bishopville, Cheraw, Chesterfield, Dillon, Hartsville, Lake View, Latta, McColl and Society Hill.

Services provided by CareSouth Carolina include family practice, internal medicine, pediatrics, women services, OB/GYN, HIV/AIDS primary care, dental, chiropractic services, pharmacy, geriatrics, social services, clinical counseling, laboratory, 4D ultrasound, X-Ray, migrant services and veterans’ choice provider.