Asheville, North Carolina
AdventHealth Buys 25 Acres in Weaverville to Build a New Hospital
AdventHealth has acquired approximately 25 acres of land in Buncombe County, near Weaverville, where it plans to build a 67-bed acute care hospital to serve Buncombe, Madison, Yancey, and Graham counties. AdventHealth already operates AdventHealth Hendersonville, the former Park Ridge Hospital in Henderson County south of Asheville. It received Certificate of Need (CON) approval from the North Carolina Health and Human Services’ Division of Health Service Regulation to build “AdventHealth Asheville” in November 2022, but the award was challenged by HCA Healthcare, which operates Asheville’s Mission Hospital in Buncombe County.
Court Ruling Expected Soon
A court ruling on HCA’s appeal is expected soon. AdventHealth decided to reveal the location — along US 25-70 in Weaverville, just west of I-26 — after holding discussions with residents in the four counties. “AdventHealth is confident the judge will uphold the state’s approval of the CON,” said Victoria Dunkle, director of communications at AdventHealth Hendersonville. The proposed hospital would include a surgery suite, an emergency department, a maternity unit, and an intensive care unit. Cost and completion details for the new location are pending the court decision.
First Hospital Competition in Almost Two Decades
If approved, this would be the first hospital competition in Buncombe County since Memorial Mission Hospital merged with Asheville’s St. Joseph’s Hospital in 1998. AdventHealth bought land in Weaverville for the new hospital. The seller is listed as Madison Weaverville Owner LLC.
Advent to Apply for Additional 26 Beds
AdventHealth plans to apply for a new Certificate of Need for an additional 26 acute care beds to serve the region north of Asheville. Mayor Patrick Fitsimmons of Weaverville welcomes AdventHealth’s arrival and the much-needed healthcare services it will bring.
HCA-Mission’s Response
HCA-Mission remains committed to providing advanced healthcare in the region. Nancy Lindell, director of public and media relations for HCA Healthcare’s North Carolina Division and Mission Health, shared Mission Health’s commitment.
Certificate of Need Statute
Health care providers require a certificate of need before building new facilities or adding hospital beds. The CON statute assists in controlling healthcare costs by avoiding wasteful duplication of services. HCA Healthcare and Novant Health both applied for the 2022 CON, which was granted to AdventHealth.
About AdventHealth
Headquartered in Florida, AdventHealth is affiliated with the Seventh-day Adventist Church and is one of the largest healthcare providers in the United States.
