Health systems propose big expansions in Wake County, including 2 new hospitals
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Four health systems propose new hospital beds to meet Wake County demand.
- UNC Rex and Novant want to build new hospitals in Wake Forest and Knightdale.
- State regulators will review proposals through public hearings and comment period.
State regulators have determined that fast-growing Wake County will soon need another 267 acute care hospital beds to keep up with population growth.
Now four health systems are seeking approval to build and outfit those beds, including proposals for new hospitals in Knightdale and Wake Forest.
Duke Health, UNC Rex and WakeMed want to add beds to existing hospitals throughout the county. In addition, UNC Rex proposes a new 50-bed hospital in Wake Forest, while Winston-Salem-based Novant Health hopes to build a 26-bed one in Knightdale, its first in the Triangle.
Altogether, the four systems have proposed creating 670 hospital beds at an estimated cost of nearly $2.6 billion.
The state Department of Health and Human services limits the number of hospital beds and other health care facilities by county. The state’s “certificate of need” process aims to prevent hospitals from building unnecessary facilities that drive up health care costs or hurt quality, and approves only what it thinks the market can support.
The department will hold a public hearing on the Wake projects on Oct. 20 at 10 a.m. at N.C. State University’s McKimmon Conference and Training Center, 1101 Gorman St. in Raleigh. It will also accept written comments through 5 p.m. Oct. 1 by email at DHSR.CON.Comments@dhhs.nc.gov.
Here’s what the four hospital systems are proposing:
Duke Health
- Develop 120 additional acute care beds at Duke Cary Hospital off Green Level Road. Construction has begun on the hospital, which was approved for 40 beds. The proposed expansion would create 160 total by the summer of 2031.
- Develop 101 additional acute care beds at Duke Raleigh Hospital off Wake Forest Road by July 2029.
Novant Health
- Build Novant Health Knightdale Medical Center, with 26 acute care beds, by January 2030.
UNC Rex
- Develop 106 additional acute care beds at UNC Health Rex off Blue Ridge Road in Raleigh by November 2030.
- Build UNC Health Rex Wake Forest Hospital with 50 acute care beds by July 2031. The hospital would be on 50 acres at the corner of Capital Boulevard and Stadium Drive, near the Wake Forest Crossing shopping center.
WakeMed
- Develop 164 additional acute care beds at WakeMed Raleigh Campus off New Bern Avenue by October 2032.
- Develop 25 additional acute care beds at WakeMed North Hospital off Falls of Neuse Road by October 2029.
- Develop 78 additional acute care beds at WakeMed Garner Hospital by October 2028.
In addition to the hospital beds, UNC Rex is seeking permission to develop a freestanding emergency department in Apex. DHHS will hold a public hearing on that project on Oct. 20 at 10 a.m. at Oberlin Regional Library in Raleigh and will accept comments through 5 p.m. Oct. 1 by email at DHSR.CON.Comments@dhhs.nc.gov.
