Bluffton Health Care Expansion Approved by State

News Summary

The South Carolina Department of Public Health has approved Novant Health’s application for a new 50-bed hospital in Bluffton. The facility, the Novant Health Bluffton Medical Center, represents a $320 million investment in local health care and is set to address the growing health needs in Beaufort and Jasper counties. The approval follows a public hearing and comes amidst other local health projects, including Beaufort Memorial’s plans for a smaller hospital. Community leaders generally support the new hospital, expected to create around 1,000 jobs and open by 2028.

Bluffton Health Care Expansion Approved by State

The South Carolina Department of Public Health has approved Novant Health’s Certificate of Need (CON) application for a new 50-bed hospital in Bluffton. Named the **Novant Health Bluffton Medical Center**, the facility represents a significant investment in local health care.

Key Details:

• Project cost: $320 million
• Size: 196,500 square feet
• Location: Intersection of Buckwalter Parkway and Lake Point Drive
• Expandability: Potential to increase to 100 beds as needed

The new hospital is designed to provide a broad spectrum of health services, including:

• Medical and surgical care
• Emergency and trauma care
• Intensive care
• Labor and delivery
• Cardiology, neurology, and orthopedics

The approval follows a public hearing held on January 14, 2025. At the hearing, Jason Bernd from Novant Health and Russell Baxley, CEO of Beaufort Memorial Hospital, shared their respective plans for hospital projects in Bluffton.

Additional Context:

• Beaufort Memorial is also pursuing a separate project: a 28-bed acute care Bluffton Community Hospital at an estimated cost under $10 million.
• Novant’s application faced significant opposition from Beaufort Memorial, particularly over concerns regarding the CON process.
• Legal challenges involving Beaufort Memorial and two Tenet Health-owned hospitals have hampered local healthcare expansion since 2018.

The new Novant facility aims to meet the growing healthcare needs of residents in Beaufort and Jasper counties, particularly in light of recent population growth in the area. Novant Health estimates that the project could create approximately **1,000 jobs** in Bluffton over the next five years.

Community leaders are generally supportive of the new hospital, although some have raised concerns about possible duplications in healthcare services following years of unsuccessful efforts to expand health care in the region.

The Novant Health Bluffton Medical Center is expected to open in **2028**, marking a pivotal advancement in the area’s healthcare infrastructure.

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Additional Resources

• WSAV: Certificate of Need Approved for Bluffton Hospital
• Wikipedia: Healthcare in the United States
• Post and Courier: Novant Beaufort Memorial Hospital in Bluffton
• Google Search: Healthcare Expansion Bluffton
• Bluffton Today: Novant Health to Build New Hospital in Bluffton
• Google Scholar: Bluffton Medical Center
• WTOC: Novant Health Pushes New Project
• Encyclopedia Britannica: Bluffton South Carolina
• WSAV: Bluffton’s Future is Looking Healthier
• Google News: Novant Health Bluffton