Dr. Catherine Compton Appointed as Chief Medical Officer at CareSouth Carolina

CareSouth Carolina announces the appointment of Catherine Compton, D.O., as its new Chief Medical Officer (CMO). Dr. Compton will be succeeding Dr. Stephen L. Smith, who is stepping down from the CMO position but will continue to see patients at the Rosa Lee Gerald office in Society Hill.

A native of Wichita, Kansas, Dr. Compton brings a wealth of experience and a passion for holistic medicine to her new role. Graduating from the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine in Spartanburg, S.C., Dr. Compton has been a dedicated member of the CareSouth Carolina team since 2022. Her commitment to patient care and comprehensive approach to medicine make her an ideal candidate to lead the organization as CMO.

“As we were conducting this search, I was having a hard time finding someone who we felt aligned well with the values and standards we have at CareSouth Carolina,” Dr. Smith said. “One day, I was speaking with George General [Site Administrator at Bishopville], and we began talking about Dr. Compton and I’ll never forget the words he said to me: ‘Dr. Compton is the real deal.’” 

Reflecting on her career path, Dr. Compton shares, "I knew at age 11 exactly what I wanted to do in terms of my career and was willing to put in the extra time it takes to become a D.O. I ultimately chose D.O. over M.D. because they tend to focus more on the whole body and more holistic elements of medicine." 

As Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Compton plans to continue to promote CareSouth Carolina’s mission to “enhance the health and wellbeing of everyone. “

“I love the mission of the organization and the care that we give to patients,” Dr. Compton said. “Once I started working at CareSouth Carolina, I knew it was a place that I wanted to make my home. I want to work to promote increased access to care and help continue to grow CareSouth Carolina.”

In her practice, Dr. Compton treats a wide variety of medical issues, with a particular focus on conditions prevalent in rural populations, such as diabetes, hypertension, acne, rosacea, and migraines. She emphasizes the importance of patient education in managing these conditions.

“I love building relationships, making connections with patients to address whatever health concerns they have,” Dr. Compton said. “It’s truly rewarding to be able to become a part of their life and to work to help get them better.” 

Outside of her professional endeavors, Dr. Compton enjoys running, hot yoga, cooking, baking, reading, and long walks with her Golden Retriever named Gryffin. 

CareSouth Carolina expresses its gratitude to Dr. Stephen L. Smith for his dedicated service as CMO and looks forward to Dr. Compton's leadership in advancing its mission of providing high-quality healthcare to the community.

CareSouth Carolina is a private, non-profit community health center delivering patient-centered health and life services in the Pee Dee region of South Carolina. CareSouth Carolina operates centers in Bennettsville, Bishopville, Cheraw, Chesterfield, Dillon, Hartsville, Lake View, Latta, McColl and Society Hill.

Services provided by CareSouth Carolina include family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, women's services, OB/GYN, HIV/AIDS primary care, infectious disease primary care, IV therapy, substance abuse prevention, dental, chiropractic services, pharmacy, senior support services, family support services, clinical counseling, laboratory, ultrasound, X-Ray, agricultural worker health services, podiatry, and veterans choice provider.