Hugh C. Tappan named 2026 chair of SC Hospital Association

Hugh C. Tappan, president of HCA Healthcare’s South Atlantic Division, has been named the 2026 chair of the South Carolina Hospital Association.

He will lead efforts to strengthen statewide collaboration among hospitals, advance improvements in patient care and access, and support the development of a robust health care workforce to serve South Carolina’s growing population, according to a news release.

Tappan was appointed president of HCA’s South Atlantic Division in January 2015. The division includes 12 hospitals and more than 200 care sites across Northeast Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. Prior to this role, Tappan served as CEO  of HCA’s Wesley Medical Center in Wichita, Kan.

“It is an honor to serve as chair of the South Carolina Hospital Association,” Tappan said in the news release. “I am inspired by the dedication of our hospital teams across the state, and I look forward to working with leaders and caregivers to advance quality, expand access, and support the workforce that makes our mission possible. Together, we can continue building a stronger, healthier future for everyone in our state.”

Since taking leadership of the South Atlantic Division, Tappan has overseen significant growth and patient-centered improvements, including more than $3.5 billion in investments to improve access to care, the release stated. These investments include the acquisition of hospitals in Savannah, Waycross and Vidalia, Ga.; the opening of 12 freestanding emergency rooms; and the construction of HCA Healthcare Live Oak Mental Health and Wellness, an 84-bed freestanding mental health facility in Ladson.

He also launched a division-wide community engagement structure, including hiring the division’s first assistant vice president of community engagement to strengthen partnerships focused on food security, mental wellness, health care careers, heart care and access to cancer care. In 2025, he led the Lowcountry Rebranding Initiative, aligning more than 35 care sites under the unified HCA Healthcare brand and reinforcing a shared commitment to excellence, innovation and compassionate care across Charleston, Berkeley, Dorchester and Colleton counties.

“We are grateful for Hugh’s willingness to serve and confident in the leadership he will provide,” Thornton Kirby, SCHA president and CEO, said in the release. “His experience, integrity and passion for patient-centered care will be invaluable as he guides our organization through the coming year.”