From Staff Reports 

RALEIGH — AdventHealth Hendersonville announced Nov. 22 that it had won approval to expand in Western North Carolina — less than six months after it applied to launch a 67-bed acute care hospital in Buncombe County.

Three health systems — AdventHealth Hendersonville; Mission, and Novant Health — had submitted applications as they vied to fill the need for 67 acute care beds in the service area of Buncombe, Madison, Yancey and Graham counties.

“In a tweet Tuesday evening (Nov. 22), the hospital says the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services gave it approval to build the new facility,” Asheville television station WLOS (News 13) reported.

The Asheville Citizen Times noted that “Mission wanted to add the beds at its 509 Biltmore Ave. location. Novant wanted to build a new facility near Biltmore Park in South Asheville. AdventHealth proposed building a new hospital at 264 Enka Heritage Parkway, also known as the Enka Center, a site that contains the iconic Enka clock tower.”

Meanwhile, “I guess (it’s) a little early Thanksgiving present!” Victoria Dunkle, a spokesperson for AdventHealth Hendersonville, was quoted as saying Nov. 23 by News 13.

News 13 added, “The plans for the hospital AdventHealth Hendersonville intends to build in Buncombe County — which Dunkle referred to as ‘AdventHealth Asheville’” —include:

• 67 beds

• 13 labor and delivery rooms with a dedicated C-section operating room

• Surgery services

• Emergency department

• Diagnostic imaging and lab services

• 42 beds in a medical/surgical unit

• 12 intensive care unit beds

She reiterated in her News 13 interview that the new hospital will be located in Enka Center — off Smokey Park Highway and Sand Hill Road — in the Enka-Candler community in Buncombe County.

“Right now, we’re focused on doing what we’ve been given permission to do, which is move forward with our plans for a new community hospital in Buncombe County to care for the people of western North Carolina,” Dunkle was quoted by News 13 as saying.

“Dunkle said they feel the state’s decision is a reflection of what they’ve been hearing from the community: That patients want more choice when it comes to healthcare in the mountains,” News 13 noted.

“‘We spoke to leaders but we also spoke to the people who live there, and everyone said that they want options, they want choices when it comes to their healthcare,’ Dunkle said. ‘I think this is very much a testament to what the people have said they wanted.’ 

“Dunkle said the goal is to have the hospital open and accepting patients in January 2025,” News 13 reported.

Meanwhile, the Citizen Times stated that “AdventHealth in its CON application estimated the project will cost $254.1 million.”

In the aftermath, both Novant Health and Mission Health are considering the possibility of appealing the award of the hospital to AdventHealth Hendersonville.

Through a spokesperson, Novant Health provided the following statement on the state’s decision:

“While disappointed Novant Health’s Certificate of Need (CON) application was not approved, our commitment to the Western North Carolina region remains the same. 

“Building on our existing local partnerships with Ashe Memorial Hospital in Jefferson and our Asheville-based imaging center, Open MRI, Novant Health is invested in this community and will continue to explore how we can bring additional healthcare services and choice to the area in the years to come.

“We are reviewing the decision and will make a determination about our next steps over the next few weeks.”

A spokesperson for Mission Health provided the following comment:

“As the region’s safety net and destination for the most advanced care, we are disappointed in the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services’ decision. 

“Our proposal would have allowed Mission Hospital to open 12 much-needed critical care and ICU beds immediately, relieving pressure on our ER and enabling us to care for more people in our community and patients being transferred for advanced care not available in their local community hospital. 

“Mission Hospital recently received a Leapfrog A for patient safety and has been providing quality healthcare since 1885. 

“We are currently evaluating our options, which could include appealing this decision.”