CHARLESTON, S.C. (June 16, 2026)- The Medical University Hospital Authority (MUHA) and Tidelands Health have reached another important milestone in their efforts to strengthen their partnership and expand access to care across the Tidelands region. Effective July 1 as part of this next phase, Jay Hinesley, CEO of MUSC Health's Pee Dee Division, will transition to Tidelands Health to serve as chief executive officer.
Since 2021, Jay Hinesley has served as chief executive officer of the Pee Dee Division of MUSC Health, providing executive leadership for MUSC Health Florence Medical Center, Black River Medical Center, Marion Medical Center and the Leatherman Behavioral Care Pavilion. In this role, he has been responsible for strategic growth, operational performance and advancing high-quality, patient-centered care across the Pee Dee region. Under his leadership, MUSC Health Florence Medical Center earned national recognition as a high-performing hospital in the treatment of heart attack, heart failure, kidney failure and stroke, reflecting the division's commitment to clinical excellence and quality outcomes.
Prior to joining MUSC Health, Jay served as president of Vanderbilt Wilson County Hospital and held multiple chief executive officer roles at healthcare facilities across Alabama and Tennessee, where he led organizational transformation, quality improvement initiatives and community engagement efforts.
Jay is a graduate of Presbyterian College and the Medical University of South Carolina’s College of Health Professions. Deeply committed to the communities he serves, he remains actively involved in civic and nonprofit initiatives and is a frequent speaker on healthcare leadership, access to care and regional collaboration.
"Jay has been an exceptional leader for MUSC Health and the communities we serve throughout the Pee Dee region," said Patrick J Cawley, M.D., CEO, MUSC Health and executive vice president for Health Affairs, University. "We are confident that Jay's leadership and commitment to expanding access to high-quality care will help advance the mission we share with Tidelands Health of improving the health and well-being of the people of South Carolina. I would also like to sincerely thank current President and CEO Bruce Bailey for his nearly 30-years of service to Tidelands Health and the surrounding community as he has sought to improve health and health care across the state."
Current MUSC Health Pee Dee Division chief operating officer Jason Cox will become interim chief executive officer. The transition reflects the continued collaboration between MUHA and Tidelands Health as the organizations work together to enhance care delivery and improve health outcomes for the communities they serve.
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About MUSC
Founded in 1824 in Charleston, MUSC is the state’s only comprehensive academic health system, with a mission to preserve and optimize human life in South Carolina through education, research and patient care. Each year, MUSC educates nearly 3,500 students in six colleges and trains more than 1,060 residents and fellows across its health system. MUSC leads the state in research funding from the National Institutes of Health, including National Institute of General Medical Sciences COBRE awards. For information on our academic programs, visit musc.edu.
As the health care system of the Medical University of South Carolina, MUSC Health is dedicated to delivering the highest-quality and safest patient care while educating and training generations of outstanding health care providers and leaders to serve the people of South Carolina and beyond. In 2025, for the 11th consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report named MUSC Health University Medical Center in Charleston the No. 1 hospital in South Carolina. To learn more about clinical patient services, visit muschealth.org.
MUSC has a total enterprise annual operating budget of $8.9 billion. The more than 36,200 MUSC members include world-class faculty, physicians, specialty providers, scientists, contract employees, affiliates and care team members who deliver groundbreaking education, research and patient care.
