UNC Health announces plans for hospital near Shipyard Boulevard in Wilmington
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — UNC Health announced plans Monday to build a new community hospital in Wilmington aimed at expanding access to specialty and primary care across the rapidly growing New Hanover County region.
According to UNC Health, the proposed hospital would be built on a 62-acre site at the southeast corner of South 17th Street and Shipyard Boulevard, pending state regulatory approvals through North Carolina’s Certificate of Need process.
UNC Health says the hospital would offer a range of services including emergency care, cardiology, oncology, obstetrics and gynecology, neurosurgery and additional specialty care services.
The health system is targeting an opening date of 2030.
UNC Health CEO Dr. Cristy Page, a Wilmington native, said the project is designed to bring more healthcare services closer to home for local families.
“As a Wilmington native, I’ve seen firsthand the challenges families face when specialty care isn’t available in their own community,” Page said. “This is what ‘care closer to home’ looks like: a community hospital, backed by a statewide, state-owned academic health system, designed to bring the additional services this growing community has asked for.”
UNC Health says the location was selected because of its accessibility and its ability to serve one of the fastest-growing areas in North Carolina, including historically underserved neighborhoods.
The announcement comes shortly after UNC Health named Ernie Bovio as Regional President for its Southeast Coastal market. Bovio joined the health system in April and oversees operations in the region, including Onslow Memorial Hospital in Jacksonville.
“As I’ve listened to my own neighbors and community members across the region, I’ve heard a clear message: Wilmington is ready for more choice in healthcare — and UNC Health is ready to deliver it,” Bovio said.
UNC Health has long served the area through the UNC School of Medicine Wilmington campus, which trains doctors in the region. UNC Health expects to nurture and build on those existing partnerships.
Wilmington Health, a physician-owned medical practice in southeastern North Carolina, also voiced support for the proposed hospital.
“Wilmington Health has served this community for more than 50 years, and we know firsthand that our patients are interested in choice,” said Jeff James, CEO of Wilmington Health. “We strongly support UNC Health’s plan to bring a new community hospital to our region– closing critical gaps in specialty care and ensuring families across our region have options to access the services they need, right here at home.”
UNC Health says it plans to continue engaging with community leaders and residents as the proposal moves through the approval process.
To learn more about UNC Health’s proposed hospital, visit YourCareRightHere.com.
