Palmetto Health Richland | Kids Work!

Palmetto Health Richland, one of the largest and most progressive hospitals in the Southeast, was originally founded in 1892 as Columbia Hospital and has a history rich in service to the community. As one of the state's oldest, largest and most respected healthcare providers, the 649-bed hospital serves patients from every county in the state and beyond. It is a fully accredited regional community teaching hospital with more than 100 medical specialties and subspecialties represented on its medical staff, and is a major referral center for patients who require specialized medical care.

The hospital is affiliated with the University of South Carolina and other institutions of higher learning to provide training opportunities for medical, dental, pharmacy, nursing and other healthcare students. These affiliations attract nationally known medical professionals to the hospital, and patients benefit from the latest treatment methods developed from their work and from their participation in national research efforts.

Here are a few facts about Palmetto Health Richland:

  • Established more than a century ago in Columbia, South Carolina, Palmetto Health Richland today is a 649-bed regional community teaching medical center.
  • More than 225,000 patients from across the state and beyond are served here each year.
  • More than 4,200 employees and a medical and dental staff of more than 900 provide a wide range of primary and specialty health care services.
  • Palmetto Health Children's Hospital treats more than 82,000 infants, children and adolescents each year.
  • Palmetto Health Richland is a Level 1 Trauma Center. Hospitals in 16 counties send their most critically injured patients here, transporting them by ambulance or, if necessary, via Palmetto Health's CareForce medical transport helicopter.

Meet people who work at Palmetto Health Richland from our Kid's Work Real People interviews