News Summary
Novant Health has officially started construction on the Bluffton Community Hospital, aimed at enhancing healthcare access for residents of Beaufort and Jasper counties. The three-story facility will provide 28 inpatient beds, a full-service emergency department, and various outpatient services. With a budget of approximately $103 million, the hospital is expected to open by the end of 2026, creating around 1,000 jobs and addressing the growing demand for healthcare services in the Lowcountry region.
Bluffton, S.C. – Novant Health has officially broken ground on the Bluffton Community Hospital, a strategic initiative aimed at enhancing healthcare access in South Carolina’s Lowcountry region. This new facility will serve the residents of Beaufort and Jasper counties, addressing the growing demand for medical services in the area.
The Bluffton Community Hospital will be a three-story structure encompassing 90,000 square feet. It is designed to include 28 inpatient beds along with a full-service emergency department (ED). The emergency department will feature 13 treatment rooms, 2 triage rooms, 5 fast-track rooms, 1 trauma room, 1 decontamination room, and 3 ambulance bays, ensuring comprehensive emergency care for the community.
In addition to the emergency services, the hospital will house imaging and lab departments, essential for diagnostic purposes. It will also include an outpatient surgery center, which will contain 4 surgical suites, 2 endoscopy procedure rooms, and 20 pre-operative and recovery rooms. This diverse range of services underlines Novant Health’s commitment to meeting the holistic healthcare needs of the community.
The proposed budget for the Bluffton Community Hospital is approximately $103 million, with the facility expected to open its doors by the end of 2026. Light is anticipated to be shed on the expansion plans with the submission of regulatory approval documents in the forthcoming weeks.
According to Novant Health’s plans, the hospital is expected to expand to 100 beds as community healthcare needs continue to grow. The facility will provide various medical services, including surgical, emergency, trauma, intensive care, labor and delivery, cardiology, neurology, and orthopedics. This expansion is expected to create around 1,000 jobs in the region over the next five years, providing a much-needed economic boost to the area.
In addition to the main hospital, Novant Health intends to establish a freestanding emergency department nearby, along with outpatient campuses that will provide urgent care, primary care, and specialty care services. This approach aims to significantly reduce travel times for residents seeking healthcare, further underlining Novant Health’s commitment to accessibility.
The establishment of the Bluffton Community Hospital comes at a time when existing healthcare systems in the area, particularly Beaufort Memorial Health System, have faced challenges in meeting the growing demand for healthcare services. Beaufort Memorial recently suspended its plans to construct an acute-care hospital in Bluffton, thereby opening the door for Novant Health to step in with this new project.
The groundbreaking ceremony symbolizes a critical step toward improving healthcare delivery in South Carolina’s Lowcountry, reflecting a proactive approach to expanding necessary medical facilities in response to a burgeoning population. As Novant Health embarks on this significant project, the community looks forward to enhanced healthcare options and improved accessibility in the coming years.
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Additional Resources
- Healthcare Design Magazine
- Google Search: Bluffton Community Hospital
- Bluffton Today
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Novant Health
- WSAV News
- Google News: Bluffton Health News
