BIFMC Mourns the Loss of Dr. James M. Hayes; Celebrates His Life of Compassion March 15, 2020

The Clinic Family is deeply saddened by the passing of long time volunteer physician and Board Chairman James M. Hayes, MD, who passed away on March 12, 2020.

Dr. Hayes joined the free clinic at the time of it’s foundation in 2009, serving as both Board Director and volunteer primary care physician spanning more than a decade.

His obituary states, “Jim was board certified in Internal Medicine and practiced in Charleston for 35 years. Over these years, he was an active member in Charleston County Medical Society, Medical Society of South Carolina, South Carolina Medical Association, South Carolina Society of Internal Medicine, and was a Fellow in the American College of Physicians. He served on many boards and committees to improve healthcare in the Charleston community. As a former board member of the Medical Society of South Carolina and Roper Hospital, he played a pivotal role in the 1997 merger of St. Francis and Roper Hospitals. In 2005, Jim received the first annual Roper St. Francis Foundation Physician Champion Award for his leadership and devotion to patients and the Charleston medical community.

As an active member of the medical community, he could not simply retire. He became involved as a volunteer physician and Board Chairman for Barrier Islands Free Medical Clinic. He was an advocate for providing healthcare services to those in need.”

BIFMC Medical Director, Richard Ulmer, MD, shared the news with staff and volunteers earlier this week, stating:

“…he was a friend and colleague for decades, splendid physician, superb leader, family man, great listener, man of few words, outdoorsman, proud Citadel graduate, lover of a good story or joke. All of  us and all of our patients are greatly in his debt every time that we walk into the clinic, both for the building itself and for the professional atmosphere within.”

Our love and thoughts are with his family. Our Dr. Hayes will be missed; and truly, never forgotten.

View Dr. Hayes’ obituary here.

Barrier Islands Free Medical Clinic is a free clinic in Charleston, SC, that provides free medical care to eligible patients, just like any family practitioner or internist. The Free Clinic serves uninsured adults living at or below 299 % of the Federal poverty level who live or work on Johns, James, & Wadmalaw Island or Folly Beach, or serve the Hospitality Industry of Downtown Charleston. You can follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.