Atrium Health seeks approval for new hospital in New Hanover County, backed by more than 200 local providers
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Atrium Health has filed an application with the state of North Carolina to build a new full-service hospital in New Hanover County, a proposal the health system says is supported by more than 200 physicians and clinical providers across southeastern North Carolina.
The filing, submitted through North Carolina’s Certificate of Need (CON) process, comes as local healthcare leaders cite growing demand for medical services in one of the state’s fastest-growing regions.
According to Atrium Health, the Wilmington metropolitan area was the seventh-fastest-growing metro region in the nation between 2024 and 2025 and has added more than 75,000 residents in recent years. Despite that growth, New Hanover County currently relies on a single hospital, which Atrium says operates at more than 92% occupancy.
The 2026 State Medical Facilities Plan identified a need for 225 additional hospital beds in New Hanover County, a figure Atrium points to as evidence of increasing healthcare demand.
“Atrium Health has had a connection to southeastern North Carolina for decades — and as the region’s healthcare needs continue to grow, we’re ready to deepen our commitment by bringing a hospital, primary care and specialty care this community deserves,” said Steve Smoot, executive vice president and president of the North Carolina and Georgia division of Advocate Health, Atrium Health’s parent organization.
The proposed hospital would include access to programs in cancer care, cardiovascular services, and neurosciences. Atrium noted that its Levine Cancer Institute is one of only a limited number of National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers in the United States.
Local physicians supporting the proposal say additional healthcare options are needed to keep pace with the area’s rapid growth.
“I have practiced in southeastern North Carolina for over 20 years, and I have watched this community grow faster than our healthcare system can keep up,” said Dr. Slade Suchecki, a family physician in Southport. “My patients wait too long for specialists. Some drive hours for care they should be able to get close to home.”
Atrium Health highlighted its longstanding ties to the region, including its previous management of the New Hanover Regional Medical Center Physician Group and its ongoing management of Columbus Regional Healthcare System in Whiteville. The health system also pointed to its emergency response efforts during Hurricane Florence in 2018, when it deployed its MED-1 mobile hospital unit to nearby Burgaw and helped provide medical care while local facilities were impacted by the storm.
The Certificate of Need process will allow state regulators to review the proposal before determining whether the hospital can move forward. Community members, healthcare providers, business leaders, and elected officials may submit comments as part of the state’s review process.
If approved, the project would introduce a second hospital option in New Hanover County and significantly expand healthcare capacity in the region.
