There is a powerful concept within senior healthcare which  has potential to transform the industry in South Carolina and  possibly become a model for the nation. The concept is not new, complicated or difficult but will require leadership and cooperation between providers of senior care services.

The concept is healthcare partnerships. Every provider of senior healthcare in South Carolina should be asking themselves the question. Are my residents and patients receiving the most appropriate level of care today? If the answer is no, then the provider should be seeking partnerships with companies which can provide a yes.

Scott Middleton, CEO of Agapé and Author of Parent Talk, "Nine Conversations to have with an Aging Loved One," gave a speech at Marcus Evans, Long Term Care Summit in Florida where he outlined the nine partnerships senior care providers should consider for their communities.

For the next nine weeks we will be exploring each of the nine partnerships in greater detail and showing how providers implementing these strategic alliances will benefit residents and the communities in which they live.

· Therapy - What is the correlation between therapy, length of stay, and, more importantly, the longevity of residents?

· Physician Services - How often should physicians, nurse practitioners or physician assistants be seeing residents?

· Skilled Nursing Facility - What are six critical requirements for a skilled nursing partnership?

· Pharmacy - How does "Cycle Fill" help with medication administration?

· Home Care - What are the benefits of partnering with Home Care?

· Real Estate - What role can real estate play in your census?

· Durable Medical Equipment - What is an innovation room and why your Durable Medical Provider should set it up?

· Hospice - Why hospice is likely the most valuable partner you can have?

· Coaching - How coaching can save you time and money from costly mistakes?