Hospitals in Mecklenburg, Gaston, Union detail nearly $300 million in expansion plans
State health regulators are considering a spate of hospital projects in the Charlotte region that could cost about $294 million and bring more than 300 new beds for patients.
Longtime rivals Atrium Health and Novant Health are offering up dueling proposals that the state will have to decide which one to approve. The two hospital systems are competing to provide additional beds for healthcare services in Mecklenburg County, state officials say.
Charlotte-based Atrium Health and Novant Health, headquartered in Winston-Salem, submitted requests for a total of four projects in response to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services’ 2023 statewide facilities plan. That plan provides projections of needs, such as nursing home facilities, operating rooms and acute care beds.
The health department determined that 164 acute beds are needed for the area by 2025. Acute beds are for patients staying for a short time. Mecklenburg County has 2,086 licensed beds, according to the report.
State Health Department spokeswoman Kelly Connor said the Division of Health Service Regulation has from 90 to 150 days to review a Certificate of Need application.
N.C. law prohibits health care providers from acquiring, replacing or adding to their facilities and equipment, except in certain circumstances, without approval from the state. Approval is also required for certain medical services as a way to help control increasing health care costs and not duplicate services.
When two or more businesses are competing, the agency reviews each application to see if it meets Certificate of Need requirements, then determines which one to approve.
Atrium Health is proposing three projects, totaling more than $199 million.
The largest is for Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, with 112 more acute care beds. It’s expected to cost $161 million, with a completion date of April 2027.
Atrium also is seeking 42 additional acute care beds at Atrium Health Pineville, with an expected cost of about $40 million and a completion date of July 2025. And Atrium Health wants to add 10 beds at its University City location by June 2025. The project would cost $7.1 million.
Novant Health proposed a single project for acute care beds: spending $1 million to add 54 beds at the Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center. This would be completed by July 2025.
Novant Health released a statement saying it works to ensure people have access to healthcare, especially as demand for healthcare grows in Charlotte, and the request to increase bed capacity will help.
A public hearing for the projects is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Dec. 15, in room 280 of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center, 600 E. Fourth St.
Atrium did not respond to a request for comment from The Charlotte Observer about its projects.
These are the other regional projects seeking approval for their certificates of need from the state.
New Gaston Hospital planned
CaroMont Health Inc. filed an application with state officials for a new hospital in Belmont to hold 54 beds. The request involved a budget adjustment for unexpected costs of $57 million, on top of an earlier proposed cost of $300 million for the hospital.
Spokeswoman Meghan Berney said the additional funds will be used to cover public roadway improvements and program changes related to locations and services in the facility as well as handle costs related to inflation and supply chain disruption caused by the pandemic.
The cost for CaroMont Regional Medical Center Belmont is now project to be around $357 million and would be completed in late 2024, Berney said. A public hearing is scheduled for 11 a.m. Dec. 18 at the Gaston Public Library, 1555 E. Garrison Blvd., Gastonia.
Relocating adult care in Gaston
Bluestone Limited LLC is seeking approval from state officials to build a new adult care home in McAdenville,which is expected to cost $25.7 million.
For the Arbor Ridge at Belmont project, Bluestone Limited wants to relocate 86 adult care beds from the Magnolia Gardens facility in Gastonia. Of that total, 24 of them would be in the special care unit.
A public hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. Dec. 11, in Gaston County Public Library’s conference room, 1555 E. Garrison Blvd., Gastonia.
More hospital beds sought in Union
Atrium Health submitted an application to develop 13 acute care beds in Monroe in response to the state medical facilities plan. It’s expected to cost $10.5 million and is expected to be complete by September 2025.
Union County has 178 beds and an additional 21 units will be needed after next year, according to the facilities report.
A public hearing is scheduled for 1 p.m. Dec. 13, in the Griffin Room of the Union County Library, 316 E. Windsor St., Monroe.
How to comment on NC hospital plans
State officials also are accepting comments for all of the proposals through email at DHSR.CON.Comments@dhhs.nc.gov or by mail to Healthcare Planning and Certificate of Need Section, Division of Health Service Regulation, 2704 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-2704. Email comments should be sent as an attachment. Comments must be received by 5 p.m. Dec. 1.
