Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare broke ground on a $68 million replacement hospital for Angel Medical Center in Franklin, N.C., according to Smoky Mountain News.
The 82,500-square foot hospital will house 30 inpatient beds, a 17-bed emergency room, three operating rooms and an endoscopy suite.
Construction, which began last week, is slated to take 14 months.
"When you think about hospitals, rural hospitals across the country, it’s rare to hear of new hospitals being developed — or even renovated. They are closing. We’re just so pleased to partner with the teams here in Franklin in this development, in this project," Greg Lowe, president of HCA's North Carolina division, told Smoky Mountain News.