Novant Health expands in Brunswick County
BRUNSWICK COUNTY (WWAY) — Novant Health is expanding its presence in Brunswick County, aiming to improve access to care with two new medical facilities.
“The state of North Carolina conditionally approved both of our applications last week. One for a medical center in Leland, North Carolina, and then the other is for a free-standing emergency department in the Carolina Shores area in Southern Brunswick County,” said Laurie Whalin.
Laurie Whalin, president of acute care operations for Novant Health’s Coastal Region, said the projects are driven by rapid population growth in the area.
“As we look at patients, where they’re coming from, what services are needed, and the growth predicted over the next five to 10 years, now is the time to execute on this,” Whalin said.
The proposed Leland hospital will offer emergency care, inpatient beds, radiology, and access to in-house providers and consultants, allowing patients to receive care closer to home without traveling across the river.
“This is really going to provide access close to home. Patients will not need to travel over the bridge for medical care. It will have an emergency department, it will have in-patient beds, it’ll have radiology services, it will have in-patient providers, as well as consultants,” said Whalin.
The emergency department would extend care closer to the South Carolina line and will be modeled after Novant’s Scotts Hill location, which is scheduled to open in June.
“This is a quick emergency care access point, which will have all services needed for emergency care as well as imaging services. If patients do need to be admitted, those patients could then be transferred to Brunswick Medical Center, which will be right up the road,” said Whalin.
Whalin said the expansion is part of a broader plan to improve access and reduce wait times in the region.
“That has been a primary conversation in the community is: how do we make sure people who are coming to our emergency department. One, have a shorter wait and have an inpatient bed. Two things that are going to help that is Scotts Hill opening in June, which we know is going to have an immediate impact, and then this helps the longer-range plans to keep patients in Brunswick County,” said Whalin.
The announcement comes as the president of Novant Health Coastal prepares to leave the organization for a competitor.
