Novant Health seeks approval for 225-bed hospital expansion tied to heart and vascular care investment in Wilmington area
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Novant Health is seeking state approval to add 225 inpatient hospital beds as part of a new patient tower at New Hanover Regional Medical Center, a major expansion aimed at increasing access to advanced heart and vascular care in southeastern North Carolina.
The proposal, submitted through North Carolina’s certificate of need process, is part of a broader master facility plan that represents more than $1 billion in planned investment to meet rising demand for complex medical services in a rapidly growing region.
“Our plans are years in the making, and we fully believe patients benefit from a comprehensive care experience,” said Laurie Whalin, president of Novant Health’s Coastal Region. She noted that the system’s integrated infrastructure allows for coordinated specialty care that includes operating rooms and catheterization labs designed to support high-acuity services. She added that this structure positions Novant Health to deliver what she described as a seamless care experience for patients requiring advanced treatment.
The new patient tower would centralize inpatient and surgical heart and vascular services, including advanced operating rooms, cardiac catheterization labs, and electrophysiology labs. Health system leaders say the design will allow clinicians to treat patients across the full spectrum of cardiac care within a single, highly specialized environment, improving coordination and efficiency for both routine and complex cases.
Demand for cardiovascular care continues to rise across the region. Heart disease and stroke remain leading causes of death in North Carolina, and Novant Health reports its Coastal Region Heart & Vascular Institute serves approximately 18,000 new patients each year and performs more than 12,500 procedures and surgeries annually. With the population aged 65 and older continuing to grow, officials expect demand for inpatient and specialized cardiac care to increase significantly in the coming years.
While the expansion is focused primarily on heart and vascular services, hospital leaders say the additional beds will also increase overall inpatient capacity, helping reduce wait times and improve patient flow throughout the hospital.
The project is one component of Novant Health’s broader regional expansion strategy, which also includes the upcoming Novant Health Scotts Hill Medical Center set to open in late June, a planned expansion of the Wilmington rehabilitation hospital, a future 20-bed facility in Leland to serve northern Brunswick County, and a proposed freestanding emergency department in Carolina Shores.
More information on the system’s regional strategy, known as Vision 2030, is available on Novant Health’s website.
