Piedmont Technical College breaks ground on Self Regional Healthcare Center for Health Sciences
In a bold step to address the growing need for more healthcare professionals, Piedmont Technical College broke ground Monday on a $16.1 million health sciences building.
The new facility on the college’s Lex Walters Campus-Greenwood will allow students to receive high-quality training in real-world conditions. The two-story, 27,000 square-foot building is expected to have 10 simulation rooms, six skills labs with collaborative teaching spaces, a catheterization and echocardiography lab as well as classrooms and computer labs.
PTC President Dr. Hope E. Rivers said Monday’s groundbreaking is a significant milestone that furthers the college’s mission of transforming lives and strengthening communities throughout its seven-county service area.
“The national shortage of healthcare professionals is no longer just a statistic—it’s a reality right here in our community,” Rivers said. “Conversations with local employers have made it clear that we must act now to address these urgent workforce needs. Our new center for health sciences will allow us to strengthen our programs and train the next generation of skilled professionals. This investment comes at a critical moment, strengthening both our local economy and the well-being of our communities.”
Self Regional Healthcare is purchasing and donating $1.3 million worth of equipment for the new facility, including:
- Advanced patient simulators, including a system known as an Anatomage Table that features digitized human cadavers and superior medical learning tools
- Hospital beds and bed tables
- Infusion pumps
- Mobile computing workstations
- Ultrasound systems
Given the size of this donation, PTC officials are naming the new building as the Self Regional Healthcare Center for Health Sciences.
“We are thrilled to partner with Piedmont Technical College on this vital initiative,” said Dr. Matt Logan, president and CEO of Self Regional Healthcare. “The healthcare professionals who learn and train in this new facility will go on to make a lasting impact, providing exceptional care within the Self Regional Healthcare system and improving lives in our community for generations to come.”
Rivers said the support from Self Regional Healthcare will enhance the educational opportunities for students enrolled in programs such as nursing, cardiovascular technology, emergency services, radiologic technology, respiratory care and surgical technology.
“Equipping our new building with the latest technology is essential,” Dr. Rivers said. “We are incredibly grateful for the support of our partners, whose commitment to this project ensures that our students receive the highest-quality training.”
A major share of the funding for the Self Regional Healthcare Center for Health Sciences is coming from a $11 million grant that PTC received last year from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration to foster healthcare workforce development. State funding also accounts for a significant share of the project’s cost.
Upon its completion in July 2026, the Self Regional Healthcare Center for Health Sciences will replace PTC’s existing healthcare facilities built in 1991. To learn more about PTC’s healthcare programs, visit http://www.ptc.edu/healthsciences.
About Piedmont Technical College:
Piedmont Technical College (PTC) is a comprehensive two-year college offering hands-on training in the latest technologies and exacting skill sets that are most sought after by employers in our region. PTC contributes to the economic growth and development of the largest and most diverse region of the South Carolina Technical College System, Abbeville, Edgefield, Greenwood, Laurens, McCormick, Newberry and Saluda counties. Throughout the region, PTC serves over 8,000 students annually.
About Self Regional Healthcare:
Self Regional Healthcare is a not-for-profit, regional referral hospital that provides care to residents of Greenwood, Abbeville, Laurens, Saluda, McCormick, Edgefield and Newberry counties. Services include prevention and wellness, acute care and tertiary care services including cancer care, neurosurgery, heart and vascular surgery, NICU, orthopedics and genetics. Self Medical Group is its employed physician affiliate network of 44 practices and more than 200 physicians.