Honoring a Half-Century of Care in North Charleston
In 1975, North Trident Regional Hospital, now Trident Medical Center, opened in North Charleston. Discussions between county and business leaders in Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester Counties and what is today HCA Healthcare, led to the founding of the hospital. Since then, the facility has sought to improve the quality and access of health care for individuals and families living in and around the growing North Charleston area. As Trident celebrates its 50th anniversary of serving the tri-county region, faculty and staff reflected on the exciting milestone.
Legacy and Personal Connections
Concierge for Patient Access Lashauna Barron is the first point of contact at Trident for ambulatory surgery. After holding various positions in other departments for 13 years, she was promoted to that role in 2020. Her work in the hospital was meant to be, she said, because Trident has been a part of her life since the day she was born. The third baby to be delivered at the hospital, Barron volunteered as a candy striper at the institution when she was a teenager, began her professional career at Trident and insisted that she’s never considered any other way. Her job is rewarding, she said, because, “I love connecting with the patients, whether with a friendly smile, words of encouragement or even a hug. I feel honored to work and serve in the facility I was born in because Trident really cares about their patients. Doing what I’m called to do gives me great joy, and I take pride in our 50-year anniversary.”
Pioneering Physicians Reflect on the Hospital’s Early Days
In 1972, Dr. William Wimberly graduated from the Medical University of South Carolina as the first specialist in family practice. After finishing his residency, he served in the Air Force until 1974, then returned to Summerville where he was born and raised. For the next eight to 10 months, he worked at the county hospital as a family practitioner. That facility closed when Trident opened and many staff, members, including Dr. Wimberly, transferred to the new location. “Our focus was getting the hospital up and running,” he said. “From the beginning, our goal was to improve more lives in more ways. Although there were a few kinks to iron out in the beginning, the staff all knew each other, so it made for a congenial workplace.”
As chairman of the Credentials Committee, Dr. Wimberly was the first physician to perform a M and curettage procedure, deliver a baby and perform a circumcision at Trident. Although he retired in 2018, his legacy at Trident lives on; two of his sons, Jason and Mark, are resident anesthesiologists, and his oldest son, Christopher, takes care of veterans at the Naval Weapons Command Center.
A Generational Commitment to Health Care
As medical director of OR and president of Trident Anesthesiologist Group, Dr. Mark Wimberly said he is proud to celebrate the hospital’s 50th anniversary, along with the legacy anesthesiologist group he oversees, which was founded when the hospital opened. Having been with the medical center for 18 years, Mark said he remembers visiting with his dad’s patients on the weekends. “That was in the 1980s, and back then the hospital was very small. It was a tight-knit community and everybody knew one another. As a kid hanging out in my dad’s office or the staff lounge, I got to know the physicians. Twenty years later, I was working with them, and there are also a few nurses who still work at Trident who I remember from my childhood.”
“When you have this sense of history, you feel a sense of ownership to the hospital’s success,” said Mark, who began his career at Trident in 2008. “Since I’ve been there the whole time, I take it personally for the hospital to do well.”
Long-Term Dedication to Patients and Community
After finishing his residency in Columbia, Trident Chief of Surgery Dr. Thomas Litton visited Charleston on a whim and fell in love with the Lowcountry and began his career with the hospital in July 1988. He said one of the most rewarding aspects of his 37-year career is “going into my office and seeing someone I treated 25 years ago.” He added, “It’s also gratifying to have working relationships with professionals who have dedicated their lives to the hospital.”
Dr. Litton said the 50th anniversary event provides an opportunity to honor, revere and memorialize the people who started the hospital. Looking to the next decade of Trident’s future, he said plans are in the works to expand new facilities on the campus and in the current building that will accommodate the fast growth of the population.
Growth, Recognition, and the Road Ahead
Having worked with Trident’s parent company, HCA Healthcare, for 20 years, Jeff Wilson stepped into the role of CEO and president of the hospital in April 2024. He explained that as the largest health care hospital system in the United States, HCA has 186 facilities across the country, which in 2024 saw 43 million patients and provided emergency care to more than 9 million patients. Last year, the corporation also provided more than $3.5 billion in charity and uncompensated care. With 312 beds, Trident itself employs 4,000 staff members and is able to take care of all medical needs. Trident, Wilson said, offers more trauma care than any provider in the Lowcountry, and its their cardiovascular care and its head and neck center are recognized nationally.
The hospital’s 50th anniversary will be marked throughout the year, Wilson said. “We will have seasons of celebrations with a host of activities to celebrate our commitment and impact on our community, as well as honoring the physicians who have dedicated their career to Trident. 50 years is a long time, so the celebrations deserve more than just one event. Further, multiple events give several opportunities for everyone to take part in the festivities.”
Looking to the Future
He added, “Going forward, we are continuing to grow and expand in the community, scaling to ensure we provide needed health care services for everyone, including those who may have a tough time accessing medical care.”
“Above all else, we are committed to the care and improvement of human life,” Wilson concluded.
By Sarah Rose
