Atrium, Novant competing for big hospital bed expansion in Matthews and Monroe
Charlotte’s largest hospital systems are competing to add more beds for patients in Union County, with the combined request totaling over $610 million.
Atrium Health and Novant Health recently submitted proposals to the state to expand medical services in the area. There’s a need to add 136 acute care beds for the next decade, according to the 2025 State Medical Facilities Plan.
The hospitals filed Certificate of Need applications with the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services. If two or more providers are competing for services in a certain area, the state will review applications to see if they meet CON requirements before deciding which projects get to move forward.
Hospitals are not allowed to buy, replace or add to facilities without approval from the state. This process is required to make sure services are not duplicated.
Atrium proposals for Matthews and Monroe
Under the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Hospital Authority, Atriumm submitted two proposals for projects.
At Atrium Health Union in Monroe, the hospital wants to add 46 acute care beds. This expansion is scheduled for completion by January 2030, if approved. The estimated cost is $99 million
The second is for Atrium Health Union West in Matthews. The proposal calls for expanding the project’s scope to include 90 more acute care beds, bringing the hospital’s total to 136 beds. It will cost $165 million based of estimates and could wrap up by January 2033.
Novant’s proposal for Monroe
Novant wants to build a new hospital with 32 beds at its Wesley Chapel Medical Center in Monroe. The projected cost is $346 million and would be completed by January 2030.
What’s next for the hospitals?
A public hearing for the projects is scheduled for 11 a.m. Dec. 18 in the Griffin Room of the Union County Main Library, 316 E. Windsor St., Monroe.
Anyone may file written comments concerning these proposals. Comments must be received by the Healthcare Planning and Certificate of Need Section no later than 5 p.m. Dec. 1. They may be submitted as an attachment to an email if they are sent to DHSR.CON.Comments@dhhs.nc.gov.
Residents may also mail comments to:Healthcare Planning and Certificate of Need Section, Division of Health Service Regulation, 2704 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-2704.
More on Atrium and Novant
Atrium Health, part of Charlotte-based Advocate Health, ranks as the nation’s third-largest nonprofit health system. Serving approximately 6 million patients, Atrium employs over 155,000 people across 68 hospitals and more than 1,000 care locations.
Teaming up with Wake Forest University and Wexford Science & Technology, Atrium recently launched Charlotte’s first four-year medical school. Classes at the new Wake Forest University School of Medicine-Charlotte began in July.
The Winston-Salem-based school’s second campus is located at South McDowell and Baxter streets in the city’s Pearl District, which includes plans for shops, offices and apartments.
Novant Health, based in Winston-Salem, is one of the region’s largest healthcare providers.
Novant operates more than 900 locations, including 19 hospitals, 750 physician clinics, along with urgent care, outpatient and imaging facilities across North Carolina and the Southeast.
