Atrium begins building hospital near Charlotte amid health system fight for beds
Atrium Health broke ground on a new, $116 million hospital Thursday morning, amid a continuing fight between Charlotte’s biggest health systems for hospital beds.
Atrium is building a 150,000-square-foot hospital — to be called Atrium Health Union West — in Stallings, Union County, near the Mecklenburg County line. The health systems estimates the building will be completed in early 2022.
Atrium announced plans for the hospital in October 2018. The hospital will have 40 acute care beds, two operating rooms and 10 emergency department bays.
The hospital is one of Atrium’s planned expansions in the coming years for the region. At the same time, the health system has been sparring with rival Novant Health in a months-long fight for more hospital beds.
The two faced off in a Dec. 16 public hearing for beds. The state will approve six new operating rooms and 76 new acute care beds requested in Mecklenburg County in 2019.
Atrium requested the full amount — six operating rooms and 76 acute care beds — and Novant has requested one operating room and 20 new acute care beds.
The Union County Atrium hospital is not one of the 2019 requests awaiting approval. Atrium Health Union West was approved by the state in February 2019.
This story was originally published January 24, 2020 at 5:30 AM.
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