BUNCOMBE COUNTY, N.C. (828newsNOW) — To keep track of North Carolina’s growing medical demands, the state releases a plan of recommendations and projections each year. Three hospital systems in Western North Carolina are vying for the opportunity to help meet these demands.

In its 2024 State Medical Facilities Plan (SMFP), the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) projected Buncombe, Graham, Madison and Yancey counties would need an additional 26 acute care beds by 2026.

On July 9, NCDHHS announced three applicants — Mission Hospital, AdventHealth and Novant Health — had filed certificate of need applications (CONs) to develop acute care beds for the Western North Carolina region in response to the SMFP.

Mission Hospital’s plans

According to the release, “MH Mission Hospital LLLP proposes to develop 26 acute care beds at Mission Hospital in Asheville for a total of 759 acute care beds. The project is expected to cost $1.6 million and would be completed in July 2025.”

In a statement to 828newsNOW, Division Director of Public and Media Relations for Mission Health, Nancy Lindell, said the additional beds would help meet the high demand for Mission’s services.

“The current utilization of Mission Hospital’s services is very high, including services related to the ICU and adult medical and surgical beds,” Lindell wrote in an email. “Currently, Mission Hospital accepts thousands of patient transfers from other hospitals across the region. These transfers reflect a need for the addition of higher acuity beds and services offered by Mission which will meet the needs of patients in Western North Carolina. “

Lindell added that if the hospital got approval from the state for the additional beds, “Mission believes that it can make these beds available on a more expedited timeline than other applicants.”

Mission’s “expedited timeline” includes an estimated completion date of 2025, compared with AdventHealth’s projected 2027 date and Novant’s 2028 date.

“Mission remains committed to providing the region’s most advanced healthcare, and we believe Mission Hospital can best meet Western North Carolina’s growing need for complex medical and surgical care services,” Lindell added.

AdventHealth’s plans

AdventHealth, which already has plans to build a hospital in Weaverville, also filed a CON to add on 26 acute care beds. According to NCDHHS’s release, “AdventHealth Asheville Inc. and Adventist Health System Sunbelt Healthcare Corporation propose a change of scope and cost overrun to develop 26 additional acute care beds at AdventHealth Asheville in Weaverville for a total of 93 acute care beds. The project is expected to cost $109.2 million and would be completed in October 2027.”

Director of Communications & PR for AdventHealth Hendersonville Victoria Dunkle told 828newsNOW this “change of scope” mentioned in the state’s release is a reference to the hospital’s request to add the 26 acute care beds at the approved facility. Dunkle explained that since the CON statute regulates acute care beds, AdventHealth needed to seek CON approval for any additional beds beyond the previously approved 67 beds.

“For clarification purposes, the 2024 CON application has no impact on AdventHealth’s ability to develop the state-approved hospital on our property in Weaverville,” Dunkle wrote in an email. “The 2024 CON application is solely for the additional 26 acute care beds. The project is not for a cost overrun.”

NCDHHS approved AdventHealth’s CON application to build its Buncombe County facility in November 2022. HCA/Mission appealed the decision, and the case went to trial nearly a year later. In May 2024, a state administrative judge upheld the state’s decision to award AdventHealth the CON for its new facility.

Dunkle said Advent has worked to earn the trust of community members in the region in order to understand what they want in regard to medical care.

“AdventHealth’s work to expand access to whole-person care and bring more choice and competition to our region has been built around these conversations and relationships,” Dunkle said. “The trust we have earned is reflected best in the fact that AdventHealth is the only applicant to be endorsed by the county commissions, sheriffs, EMS and health departments in all four counties that make up the service area for this CON.”

Novant Health’s plans

In early May 2024, Novant Health announced it would be applying for a CON in order to build a facility in Buncombe County — Novant Health Asheville Medical Center — on a 24-acre site at 455 Long Shoals Road.

According to NCDHHS’ release, “Novant Health Asheville Medical Center LLC and Novant Health Inc. propose to develop a new acute care hospital, Novant Health Asheville Medical Center in Arden, with 26 acute care beds. The project is expected to cost $249.4 million and would be completed in December 2028.”

In 2023, the not-for-profit health care provider opened Novant Health Surgical Partners – Biltmore which provides specialty surgical services. They acquired space at 1815 Hendersonville Road in Asheville to open a multispecialty medical office building. And, Novant has expanded urgent care services with three Novant Health GoHealth urgent care centers in Black Mountain and Asheville.

Novant has created a website with updates on their efforts to expand access to care in Western North Carolina.

Novant Health could not be reached for comment at the time of this publication.

How the community can voice opinions/concerns

A public hearing for these projects will be held at 11 a.m. Aug. 19 in the Ferguson Auditorium of A-B Tech Community College, at 340 Victoria Road in Asheville.

Anyone may file written comments concerning this proposal. Comments must be received by the Healthcare Planning and Certificate of Need Section no later than 5 p.m. on July 31.

Comments may be submitted as an attachment to an email if they are sent to DHSR.CON.Comments@dhhs.nc.gov. Comments may also be mailed to the following address:

Healthcare Planning and Certificate of Need Section
Division of Health Service Regulation
2704 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-2704

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