Battle for Hospital Beds in Buncombe County Heats Up
In a bid to expand healthcare services in Buncombe County, four major hospital systems are vying for permission to increase their bed capacity. This week, local residents and officials gathered at A-B Tech’s Ferguson Auditorium to hear from Mission Hospital, AdventHealth, Novant Health, and UNC Health West Medical Center, each presenting their case for adding beds to their facilities.
At the heart of the discussion was the state-mandated Certificate of Need process, which requires healthcare providers to obtain approval before expanding services. This regulatory hurdle is a significant step in the competition among these hospitals to serve the growing and aging population of Western North Carolina.
About 200 attendees engaged in the conversation, which emphasized the themes of competition and accessibility in healthcare. Bo Hess, an Asheville City Council member and licensed clinical social worker, highlighted the importance of competition in enhancing patient care. “Thoughtful competition improves patient choice, encourages innovation, and helps healthcare systems attract and retain skilled professionals,” he stated.
Mission Hospital, the largest in Western North Carolina and recently designated as the sole Level One Trauma Center in the region, is pushing for more beds due to its high occupancy rate, frequently operating at 90% capacity. Melina Arrowood, COO of Mission Hospital, emphasized the importance of not just adding beds but ensuring the quality of the caregiving environment. “Beds alone do not care for patients,” Arrowood remarked.
In contrast, UNC Health and UNC Health Pardee are proposing a new facility, UNC Health West Medical Center, which would bring 129 acute care beds to Asheville. Jay Kirby, CEO of UNC Health Pardee, underscored their commitment to meeting community needs, saying, “Our record of achievement and deep understanding of this region make us an exceptional partner.”
Meanwhile, Novant Health is focusing on smaller-scale community care, proposing a 34-bed hospital in Arden. Andrea Flynn, Vice President of Novant Health’s Cancer Institute, argued for distributing beds among applicants to provide more healthcare options, stating that the region can gain diverse care without exhausting the full bed allocation.
AdventHealth, in partnership with Adventist Health System Sunbelt, is advancing plans for a new hospital in Weaverville, potentially adding up to 222 beds. This move follows a legal victory where the state Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal from Mission’s parent company, HCA Healthcare, against the project. DeLaina Lewkowicz from AdventHealth highlighted the risks of relying on a single healthcare facility, especially during disasters.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services will make a decision in the coming months. The proposals are as follows:
- UNC Health West Medical Center Inc proposes a new hospital in Asheville with 129 acute care beds, aiming for completion by July 2031 at a cost of $711.1 million.
- Novant Health Asheville Medical Center LLC plans a 34-bed hospital in Arden, expected to cost $322.2 million and be completed by January 2030.
- AdventHealth Asheville Inc proposes expanding to 222 beds in Weaverville, with a projected cost of $253.7 million, to be completed by January 2030.
- MH Mission Hospital LLLP seeks to add 129 beds to its Asheville location, with a $198.5 million project slated for completion by January 2031.
