Asheville, N.C.-based Mission Health's certificate of need application to build a $29 million freestanding emergency department has been approved by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.
Mission — an operating division of Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare — had previously earned approval for the freestanding ER in Candler, N.C., but an administrative judge reversed the decision following an appeal from Altamonte Springs, Fla.-based AdventHealth. The judge overturned the decision because NCDHHS did not hold a public hearing prior to approving the application.
The health system said the ER will provide patients west of Asheville an emergency option closer to home and help reduce the number of patients traveling to Mission Hospital's main ER for emergency treatment. The facility will be open 24/7 and include 12 patient rooms, diagnostic imaging and laboratory services, emergency physicians and nursing staff.
"It is exciting for us and our community that we will have this additional access to exceptional emergency care for our region," Mission Hospital CEO Chad Patrick said in a Sept. 25 news release. "We are pleased that the CON Section has once again given its approval and we can move forward in providing emergency care closer to home for this community."
Construction is expected to begin on the facility soon.