State auditors fault DHEC on abortion clinic reviews

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — State auditors are faulting the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control on its oversight of the state’s three abortion clinics.

The Legislative Audit Council says in a report issued Wednesday that DHEC failed to provide auditors with records for all 42 inspections that should have been done at the clinics from 2001 to 2014.

The council says that when violations were found during inspections, DHEC failed to impose sanctions for repeat problems such as expired medications.

The report also says some information DHEC is required to give women seeking abortions online is inaccurate and should be updated.

In response, DHEC says it provided more reports to the council than auditors gave them credit for. It also says it is reviewing the council’s recommendations and has a multi-year improvement plan.