Page 16 - July 2014 Catalyst

Stuart Hamilton, MD
Chief Executive O cer
Eau Claire Cooperative Health Centers, Inc. Columbia, SC
Dr. Stuart Hamilton started Eau Claire Cooperative Health Centers Inc. (ECCHC) more than 30 years ago to provide comprehensive, high quality compassionate medical care in the spirit of the Good Samaritan.
e cooperative is a federally quali ed, community-based comprehensive medi- cal safety net that provides access to pri- mary healthcare services for a tradition- ally underserved population. Under Dr. Hamilton’s leadership, the ECCHC has grown from one location and one prac- tice to 19 locations and 22 practices in four counties. e practices serve more than 50,000 patients annually.
For its size and medical productivity, the cooperative is ranked 49th out of 1,200 community health center systems in the nation. In 2012, the cooperative was awarded “Community Health Center of the Year” by the S.C. Primary Health Care Association. Since its founding, the cooperative has contributed to a reduc- tion in the service area’s infant mortal- ity statistics, a reduction in inappropriate hospital emergency department usage, and a reduction in total hospital days among those who are chronically ill.
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Dr. Hamilton is the associate medi- cal director for Select Health of South Carolina Inc., the state’s rst and larg- est Medicaid managed care provider for low-income people.
A retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve Medical Corps, Dr. Ham- ilton served as a eld surgeon with his unit, which was called to active duty dur- ing Operation Desert Shield, the rst Gulf War in 1991. He has received nu- merous awards for his military service, including the Army Achievement Medal (two citations), National Defense Medal, Army Service Ribbon, among others. He served in the U.S. Public Health Service.
In 2007, Dr. Hamilton was awarded the Order of the Palmetto, which is South Carolina’s highest civilian honor for hu- manitarian service. Dr. Hamilton earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Trin- ity College and his medical degree from Columbia University College of Physi- cians and Surgeons. He was the chief pediatric resident at Richland Memorial Hospital and completed a pediatric in- ternship and residency at Babies Hos- pital, Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in New York.
july 2014