Palmetto Health is a privately owned, nonprofit healthcare system that serves residents throughout South Carolina. It has two Columbia area hospitals, Palmetto Health Baptist and Palmetto Health Richland. Palmetto Health Baptist Easley completes the system. Palmetto Health offers a range of medical services at both Columbia campuses, including behavioral health services, birthing services, children s hospital, emergency and trauma center, geriatric medicine, heart hospital, cancer center and a comprehensive breast center. Palmetto Easley, a 109-bed acute care facility in northern South Carolina, provides services such as surgery, lithotripsy, MRI, CT scan and emergency and outpatient care. Plans are underway for the building of a new full-service hospital in Columbia, Palmetto Health Baptist Parkridge, scheduled to open in late 2007 or early 2008. Palmetto Health is a member of Premier Health Systems, a South Carolina based PPO network. Palmetto Health was founded in 1998 with the alliance of Richland Memorial Hospital and Baptist Healthcare System.